Team Possible in the 8th Dimension
by waveform
Summary: Kim and Ron join forces with Buckaroo Banzai to combat a threat from the stars. KP/Buckaroo Banzai crossover set in the Fast Track Universe. Chapter 6 is up, and the story is complete!
1. Chapter 1

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_This story takes place two weeks after "In the Name of the Father."_

_----_

Drew Lipsky, the blue skinned man once known as the villainous Dr. Drakken, could only stare in wonderment at the sight before him. It was an old, nonfunctional device, but that didn't make the oscillation overthruster any less impressive. Built in 1984 from designs based on the original prototype built in 1938, this device could allow an object to phase through solid matter by piercing the very fabric of inter-dimensional space; punching a hole into the 8th Dimension. To Drew's old super villain instincts, it was almost too much to pass up. Drew, as if on autopilot, reached for the display case.

"No," an authoritative voice said. Drew was snapped out of his trance and turned to look at the source of that voice. A woman in a black and green pantsuit was walking up to him very quickly.

"But, pookums," he stammered, "I was just-"

"No."

"But I wasn't going to-"

"No."

"Ngggggggggg, fine!" Drew averted his gaze and pouted. "You're no fun anymore, you know that, Sheila."

"That's not what you said the other night," the former Shego said in a husky voice. "And besides, how much fun would it be to swipe this doohicky, get caught by Kimmie, Global Justice or the original owners, go back to prison, and have _our son taken from us!?"_

Drew sheepishly looked over at his wife. "I, uh, I guess I didn't think about that part."

"We have to think about that part, Drew! It's not just about us anymore. We have to think about what's best for our son. And forgive me, but I don't think life as a super villain on the run is in Joey's best interests." Sheila took a calming breath and reached for Drew's hand. "I know you weren't going to do anything, but I know that the temptation is there. And like I said, we have to think about Joey now. Like it or not, us sticking to the straight and narrow is better for him."

"Not to mention more profitable for us," Drew added.

"So true. We'll have enough for that Tahitian cruise in no time!"

"Second honeymoon here we come!" Drew exclaimed.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Lipsky," a brunette woman in a blue suit asked. "I take it you've had enough time to survey the exhibit?"

"Just finished the first sweep, Doc," Sheila said. Since giving up her life of crime, Sheila Gordon-Lipsky has been the owner and operator of Gordon Security Consultants. Now when she broke into a top secret lab, it was at the lab's invitation, and it was there to test out the existing security systems. Nine times out of ten, those systems were replaced by one of Drew's creations. So far, no one had been able to bypass one of his devices; a far cry from the success rate he had as a villain bent on world domination. Today the Lipskys were at the Middleton Tech Museum checking the security for a very unique exhibit.

"Excellent," the museum's curator Dr. Anders said. "The oscillation overthruster exhibit is protected by systems the Banzai Institute was nice enough to provide, as well as our own security. But we felt you would be able to give us a bit more piece of mind. Even though this device doesn't work anymore, we're sure it's something many of your former colleagues would love to get their hands on. Especially that short, helmet wearing fellow. We figured you might have a unique insight into the super villain mindset."

A sly grin crossed Sheila's lips. "Oh don't worry about Professor Dementor. We have a special surprise for him."

----

A pleasant aroma drew Kim Stoppable out of her deep slumber. It was a smell she normally associated with her husband, and for a moment she thought that maybe Ron had gotten up early and prepared a surprise breakfast. A quick glance over to her right showed that Ron was still in bed, and still very much asleep. His mouth was hanging wide open and light snores were escaping from it. Above Ron's head was his naked mole rat Rufus, as dead to the world as his person was.

_Poor thing has been burning the candle at both ends,_ Kim thought as she quietly slipped out of bed and into her bathrobe. To prepare for a visit from Martin Smarty, Ron had been working from five until ten in the morning at the Mega Smarty Mart, attending advanced summer classes at the Upperton Institute for the Culinary Arts from eleven until four, and then it was back to the pet department to make sure everything was ready for Mr. Smarty's visit. Some nights he wouldn't get home until well after midnight. That hectic schedule, in addition to a few late night missions, ensured that the last two weeks were very long for one Ron Stoppable. _Well, it's all over now. The visit was yesterday, it went well, and Ron has today off. All he has to worry about is school and catching up on some sleep._ Kim let the pleasant smell enter her nostrils once more_. __I guess our new boarder decided to cook this morning._

When Kim entered the kitchen, her suspicions were confirmed. Sitting at the table, with a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs in front of her, was Kim's best girlfriend Monique. "Morning, Mon," Kim said.

"Morning, Kim," Monique replied. "I know I'm no SCIT, but there's plenty of food here. Dig in."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that 'SCIT' is Monique Speak for 'Super Chef In Training,'" Kim said as she fixed her plate.

"On the nose, girl."

"You know, Mon, you didn't have to do this."

"I know," Monique said. "But I saw how dead on his feet Ron's been lately. I thought he could use a break from cooking all our meals. So, breakfast is served! Besides, I don't want to be a total leech, like other house guests you've had recently." Kim groaned at the mention of Bonnie Senior, and how she was played by her former high school rival. "Girl, why did you let her get away like that, anyway?"

"I so didn't _let_ her get away, Monique," Kim protested. "I was mentally exhausted from having that mind control chip on me and being hooked into that Bebe thing. And Ron was wiped out from fighting those robot versions of me. We were in no shape to go after Bonnie when she skipped out." Kim took a bite of her eggs. "This is really good," she said. "Anyway, Global Justice has the island under constant surveillance. When Bonnie and Junior slip up, we'll be there to take them down."

"Still sounds like they got off scott free," Monique grumbled. "A privately owned tropical island sure isn't the kind of prison that'll deter the bad guys."

"Can we please change subjects?" Kim asked. She really didn't want to talk about the Bonnie sitch anymore.

"To what?"

"Well, like what are your plans for the day?"

"Real fun stuff," Monique replied dryly. "Go to the housing department at school and see why I haven't gotten my dorm assignment yet."

"Something I'm glad I never had to deal with," Kim said. "I did the whole roommate thing at Fort Campbell. I like rooming with Ron better."

"I'll bet you do."

Kim gave her best girlfriend a sly look. "Anyway, good luck with that, Mon."

"Good luck with what?" a sleepy voice asked. "And what smells so badically delicious?"

"Mmmm, yummy," a very animated naked mole rat on Ron's shoulder squeaked.

"Morning sleepyhead," Kim said, before kissing her only partially awake husband on the cheek. "Monique made breakfast this morning, so it's actually edible."

"You didn't have to do that, Mon." Ron yawned.

"It was the least I could do, what with you two taking me in and all."

"No big, Monique," Kim said. "What are friends for?"

"Still, you didn't have to do this," Monique insisted. A few days after the Bonnie sitch, Monique's 'rents moved to their new home in Colorado Springs, where Monique's mom had gotten a higher paying job. Kim and Ron had offered to let their friend stay with them until she could move into the dorms at the start of the semester. She should have gotten her room assignment when she got her class schedule. Now Monique had to go see what the hold up was.

"Again I say, it's no big, Monique. Unlike past house guests, we invited you to stay here."

"Yeah," Ron added between bites of his eggs, which were now covered in Diablo sauce. "Besides, you don't sit around all day eating our food, watching daytime TV, plotting our downfall, and expecting us to clean up after you. It's all good." Ron shot Monique a look. "Well, except for the whole Pain King thing."

"Pain King, blech!" Rufus agreed before he dove into a mountain of pancakes.

"You're just bummed that Pain King cleaned Steel Toe's clock but good last weekend!"

"Hey, that fight was fixed!"

"Duh, Ron," an exasperated Kim interrupted, "it's pro wrestling! Of course it was fixed."

"You wound me, KP," Ron said, trying to sound hurt.

"Anyway," Monique said, "what plans do you have today, girl?"

Kim helped herself to more eggs. "I have a meeting with my graduation advisor, an early shift at the athletic center, a couple of classes, then I'm going to check on Tara and have lunch with my mom."

"It is so wrong that you're already gonna graduate," Monique pointed out. "You started a year after I did, and you're already gonna take the walk."

"The extra college credit was one of the only good things that came out of working with Fast Track," Kim said. "Add in all the summer classes I've been taking, and it's no big. Law school, on the other hand, might be big. A major big if I keep getting instructors like Dr. Hamner." Kim cringed a little. The professor for her summer rhetoric and debate class was seemingly singling Kim out for extra work and didn't hide his dissatisfaction with having her as a student, but she couldn't figure out why. _Now I know how Ron felt with Mr. Barkin._

----

It had been a long time since Dr. Buckaroo Banzai last set foot on the University of Upperton campus; well over twenty years, in fact. _I gave a commencement speech the last time I was here,_ he thought. He was a tall man with strong features, thinning grey hair and piercing eyes. Nowadays Buckaroo was just another face in the crowd, unlike he had been on his first visit to this institute of higher learning. Back then he couldn't go five feet without being recognized. But then again, Buckaroo Banzai had been a world renown neurosurgeon, rock star, globe trotting hero, and comic book icon. In his day, he had been more well known than any celebrity or world leader. But that was a long time ago. Now, he greatly enjoyed his anonymity.

_I've missed this place,_ he thought. _A little more reminiscing, and then it'll be time to get to work. I think I'll pay a visit to the neurology department before I get in contact Kim and Ron Stoppable. I'm going to need their help._

----

All in all, Kim was having a pretty good day. During the meeting with her graduation advisor, Kim was told that all she needed to do was order her cap and gown and send the invitations. Kim would get her degree in December.

Now that she was at work and there weren't a whole lot of people using the gym, she could hammer away at the punching bags as long as she wanted to without neglecting her duties. _Slow days so have their advantages, _she thought. There was a look Kim would get on her face when she was in the zone; a look that told her coworkers and the students using the gym to keep their distance, just in case. She had that look on her face right now, but not everyone was getting the message.

On the other side of the gym were two young men. One, a lanky, black haired man, was finishing up on the treadmill, while his brown haired companion was merely gawking at the women walking around in their workout clothes. "What did I tell you, Petey," the second man said, "we are in babe central!"

"No, Brian," Pete answered, "we're in sweat central. I came here to get a workout, not look at the scenery."

"I have failed you, my young squire," Brian said. "We're in the gym and all you want to do is exercise. Where did I go wrong?"

Just then Kim Stoppable walked across the room. Pete recognized her immediately from his days at Middleton High, and Brian's jaw hit the floor. "Now that's what I'm talking about! She is a workout hottie!"

"You're a pig, dude," Pete said.

"Says you and my last three dates." Brian stood up to follow Kim, only stopping when he saw her head into the women's locker room.

"Looks like Kim gave you the slip," Pete quipped.

"I've got some time. I'll just wait for her outside and sweep her off her feet! Pete, my boy, I'm about to show you how it's done." The fact that Pete had used the redhead's name finally filtered into Brian's seldom used cerebral cortex. "Wait a minute. Kim? Holy crap that was Kim Possible! I thought she looked familiar!" Brian's lewd grin grew even wider. "Man, this day just keeps getting better and better!"

"Brian, you're delusional. You don't have a snowball's chance in the Mojave at high noon with her."

"Oh really?" Brian had a devious glint in his eyes. "I'll bet you ten bucks I can get a date with her."

Pete got a devious look of his own. "Make it twenty."

----

True to his word, Brian was waiting outside the athletic center for Kim to emerge. Pete was right there with him, waiting to collect his twenty dollars. As soon as Kim walked out the main entrance, Brian made his move. "Hi, there," he said. "Brian Leer, at your service."

"Kim Stoppable, so not interested," Kim replied dryly.

"Told you," Pete laughed. Kim recognized his voice and smiled.

"Pete Peterson?" Pete nodded and Kim gave him a friendly hug. "I didn't know you went here!"

"Wait, you know her?" Brian asked. "You've been holding out on me!"

"Kim was in my graduating class at Middleton High, remember?" Pete answered. "You saw her at my graduation! She was giving that speech before the aliens showed up." Pete looked over at Kim. "So it's 'Kim Stoppable' now, huh? I thought I read somewhere that you and Ron tied the knot. Congratulations! How is Ron these days, anyway?"

"He's doing good," Kim smiled. "Ferociously good, in fact. He's in charge of the pet department at the Mega Smarty Mart, and he's going to the Upperton Institute for the Culinary Arts. It's the first time in his life that he's actually liked school."

"Cooking school. Not a surprise," Pete said with a small chuckle. "I still remember when he turned the cafeteria into a gourmet restaurant."

"You're married?" Brian was still trying to get his head around it. "Aren't you a little young to be married?" He stopped talking when he saw the enraged look spreading over Kim's face. "Okay, I'll shut up." Just then, Brian saw another woman leaving the athletic center. "I, uh, I gotta go anyway. Catch you later, Petey!"

"You still owe me twenty bucks, dufus!" Pete yelled.

"Why do you hang out with that guy?" Kim asked, clearly angry.

"No choice, really," Pete sighed. "I mean, he may be a sleeze ball, but he is my older brother. Well, older stepbrother, anyway." Pete shook his head slightly. "And we're roommates, so I'm kinda stuck with him if I wanna make the rent."

"If it isn't Pete Peterson," a voice from behind them said. Monique was walking up from the quad with a friendly smile on her face. "Boy, I thought you were in California."

"Hey, Monique!" he happily replied. "Good to see you! Man, this is almost like the ten year reunion eight years early. UC Santa Cruz was a little out of my price range, even with my scholarships. Besides, Upperton has a pretty good film program."

"That's right," Kim said, "you wanted to go into the film biz." Pete had been known to put short films on social networking sites and movie chatrooms. Despite working with practically no budget, Pete's movies were never called "student films" or "amateur." There were those who said Pete could be the next Alfred Hitchcock, but he really wasn't all that interested in directing. All he wanted was to be the cameraman for documentary films. Put a camera, any camera, in Pete Peterson's hands, and he could make magic.

"What can I say, I love movies," he said. "If I ever find a woman who shares my love of silent films, I'll have found my soul mate."

"And as soon as I find a man who shares my love of fashion, I'll have found mine," Monique quipped. "Looks like we're both out of luck."

"I'm not even looking right now," Pete said. "Anyway, it was nice seeing you two again, but I need to make sure that Casanova isn't getting slapped with any sexual harassment suits. I guess I'll see you the next time I come in to use the treadmill, Kim. Say hi to Ron for me."

"No problem, Pete." Kim and Monique waved at their old classmate as he walked off. He wasn't a close friend back in high school, but he was someone they got along with. "So what's the sitch, Mon?"

"I just wanted to see if I could join you and your mom for lunch after I'm done with the housing department," Monique said. "Depending on how things go, I might need you to talk me out of going on a rampage."

"Amp down, Monique, I'm sure it won't be that bad," Kim said in a calm voice. "Wait, I thought you would have gotten that taken care of by now."

"They were closed for lunch," Monique growled. "It's a sign, girl, I'm telling you. This place is out to get me."

"So not the drama, Mon. I'm sure things will work out." Kim glanced down at her wrist Kimmunicator to check the time. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to go check on someone before I meet up with my mom."

----

Even though there was still a few weeks until the fall semester began, the University of Upperton campus was bustling with activity. Newly enrolled students were touring and receiving their orientation, and many of the clubs, fraternities and sororities were scanning for potential new members and pledges. One of those sororities was Alpha Phi. Tara King, a member of that sorority, as well as a friend and former Middleton High cheer squad teammate of Kim Stoppable, was making the final arrangements for their booth.

Tara's heart really wasn't in it, though. Her boyfriend Josh Mankey had to leave town suddenly to deal with a family emergency, and she was feeling especially betrayed by her former best friend Bonnie Senior. There were those on the cheer squad who thought Bonnie would eventually replace Shego as Kim's arch nemesis, but Tara wasn't one of them. She never expected Bonnie to embrace the super villain lifestyle and abduct Kim. To Tara, that act was one of betrayal against not just Kim and Ron, but against her as well.

"There you are," a voice form behind Tara said. "I called your cell, but it was turned off, so I had to call the sorority house. They said you'd be here." When Tara turned around she saw her friend Kim Stoppable with a gym bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey, Kim," the blonde woman said in an almost neutral tone.

"My mom's on campus meeting with the dean of the neurology department about doing the guest lecturer thing again," Kim said. "I was about to go meet her for lunch. You want to join me?"

"No thanks," Tara said. "I don't want to intrude on mother/daughter time."

"It so wouldn't be an intrusion," Kim insisted. "Besides, I'm worried about you. Ever since Bonnie went back to the island two weeks ago-"

"I don't want to talk about her," Tara snarled. "I was bending over backwards to help her start over when I thought Junior threw her out, you put up with her being the uninvited guest from hell..." Kim's eyes shot open. Tara never swore. "And what does she do? Stabs us in the back! You almost literally."

"I'd say it's no big," Kim said, "but it is. We had Wade do a sweep of our house for any bugs, and we changed all the door locks and computer passwords, even though we never gave her a key or access to our computer. And it did hurt. I mean, Bonnie and I were never friends, but I never thought she'd go all super villain on me. I hoped that maybe she'd mellow out eventually. Now it looks like she's graduated to the big leagues. But that's not your fault, Tara."

Tara closed her eyes and hung her head. "I know that. I just still can't believe she played us like she did."

"You can't change who people are," Kim started to say. "Well, you can, but it's so not a good idea. A nice guy could be turned into a cackling madman, a villainess into a saccharin sweet mockery of herself, or you could even turn super heroes into evil henchmen."

"What the heck are you talking about?" Tara asked.

"The point is, even though it is theoretically possible to change someone using sick and wrong super science, that change is artificial. If someone really wants to change, it has to be that person's choice. Bonnie chose to go from bad to worse. We had nothing to do with it."

Tara gave Kim a weak nod. She wasn't totally convinced, but she was getting there. "What was that you said about lunch? I think I'm getting a little hungry."

"Come on," Kim smiled. "My mom's waiting for us in the cafeteria."

----

Dr. Anne Possible had always gotten along with Kim's cheer squad teammates. Even with Bonnie Rockwaller. That was why Bonnie's defection to the dark side was as hard for Anne to wrap her head around as it was for Tara, despite her daughter's insistence that Bonnie was already "high school evil" before she met Senor Senior Junior. "Aside from the feelings of betrayal, how are you doing?" Anne asked.

"All right, I guess, Dr. Possible," the young blonde replied. "I miss Josh, and I'm worried about his grandfather. He had a stroke last week and Josh had to take off for Seattle. It seems like a lot of things are going wrong these days."

"Well, you know my door's always open if you need some company," Kim said. "Unless I get called away on a mission, that is. And I know that Ron would love more guinea pigs to test his new recipes on."

"Isn't your house a little crowded as it is, Kimmie?" Anne asked.

"What's one more?" Kim asked wryly.

At that moment, a very frazzled looking Monique walked into the cafeteria, spotted Kim, and practically stormed over to the table before collapsing into an empty chair. "Just shoot me now and get it over with!"

"Problems with the housing department?" Kim asked.

"That's putting it mildly. They lost my info! I am officially homeless."

"Am I missing something here?" Tara asked. "I thought you lived in the dorms."

"Yeah, lived, as in past tense. As in not anymore." Monique's head fell forward and hit the table with a loud thud. "They have no record of me on file. I don't have anyplace to stay once school starts."

"What about your 'rents?" Tara asked. "Can't you just stay with them and commute?"

"They moved to Colorado Springs a couple weeks ago," Middleton High's onetime fashion maven answered. "My mom got a better paying job out there. I've been staying with Kim and Ron since Queen Bee went on the lamb."

"Hence my comment about a full house," Anne smirked.

"I have a solution!" Tara declared excitedly.

"No offense, Tara, but the sorority life ain't for me. I guess I'll have to see about getting a job and finding an apartment. Who knows, maybe Club Banana will take me back."

"Or you could just stay with Ron and me."

"No way, Kim," Monique insisted. "I'm not intruding on your NLN any more than I have to."

"NLN?" Anne asked.

"Newlywed love nest," Monique elaborated. "The last thing I want is to wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of you guys acting out the Kama Sutra."

Kim turned the same shade of red as her hair. Her mother and Tara stifled laughs. "We haven't woken you up since you've been there, have we?" Kim asked in a curt tone.

"No, but there's a first time for everything."

----

Buckaroo Banzai had decided to take a shortcut through the cafeteria on his way to the neurology department when he saw a welcome sight. At a table in the far corner of the room sat four women; among them two redheads. The two looked a lot alike, despite the difference in the shades of red in their hair, and the fact that one of them had blue eyes and the other green. He recognized them both immediately, especially the woman with blue eyes. With a big smile on his face, he quickly strode over to the table. "Anne Known," Buckaroo declared. "It's been a long time."

Anne quickly looked up at the familiar voice calling her by her maiden name. Although the years had changed him, making his once thick black hair a thinner grey, Anne recognized him immediately. "Dr. Banzai?" Anne asked.

"Wait, it's Dr. Possible now, isn't it?" Buckaroo asked with a smile.

"Dr. Banzai!" Anne quickly stood up to greet Buckaroo, right before he pulled her into a tight hug. "It is so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Anne. And what did I tell you after you passed my class?" he asked, pulling back to look his former student in the eyes. "I don't stand on ceremony. You can call me Buckaroo."

Kim's eyes went wide with recognition. "Buckaroo Banzai? _THE_ Buckaroo Banzai? Mom, you never told me you knew Buckaroo Banzai!"

"Your mother was the best pupil I ever had," Buckaroo answered. "I had you as a student twice, if memory serves."

"Here when I was an undergrad, and then at the Upperton Medical School," Anne happily said. "I learned more from you than I did from any other teacher I ever had."

Kim was just a bit tweaked now. "That doesn't change the fact that neither you or Dad told me your old professor was Buckaroo Banzai!"

Anne shrugged. "Sorry, Kimmie, it just never came up. I mean, I don't brag that my daughter is the 'Great Kim Possible' either."

"Okay, I'm lost," Monique said. "Who is this guy?"

"Ah, anonymity," Buckaroo laughed. "Back in the seventies and eighties I was something of a world saving hero. Like Mrs. Stoppable here."

"It's Kim, Dr. Banzai. 'Mrs. Stoppable' is my mother-in-law."

"I'll call you Kim if you call me Buckaroo."

"Deal," Kim answered.

"Have a seat, Doct, er, I mean Buckaroo," Anne said. "What brings you here?"

"I was in the area," Buckaroo replied. "My old oscillation overthruster is going to be exhibited at the Middleton Tech Museum, so I'm here making sure security is tight. I understand that a pair of reformed criminals are working on the security system."

"So that's the new job Drew and Sheila have," Kim mused. "I knew they were holding out on me."

Buckaroo let out a chuckle and continued. "Then I thought it would be nice to see the old U of U campus again." Buckaroo turned his attention to the younger redhead and his face turned serious. "After that, I was going to contact you, Kim. It looks like I lucked out and can kill two birds with one stone. I'm going to need you and your husband to help me with something big. Back in 1984 I fought off a race of aliens called the Red Lectroids. They're coming back, or at least one of them is, and he has help. According to my sources, this Red Lectroid has allied himself with the Lorwardians, and they're on their way back to Earth even as we speak."

----

_Author's Note: I can't guarantee that I'll be updating this with the same regularity I've had with other stories. Real life has been exploding in my face lately, so getting time to sit down and write isn't as easy as it used to be. Bear with me. As soon as I have more, I'll get it posted._

_And big thanks going out to Michael Howard for helping me get my head back in the gamewith my writing. I owe you one, buddy!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_----_

"Lorwardians?" The joyful expression on Ron Stoppable's face faded and his complexion turned a deathly pale white. The excitement he had felt at meeting the legendary Buckaroo Banzai was now gone. "No," he quickly said, shooting to his feet and making a beeline for the front door of his in-laws' house. "Not again. I'm not doing it again!" Ron stormed out into the early evening air and ran off as fast as his legs would take him.

"Well," James Possible said, "that went better than I thought it would." He turned and looked at his wife's onetime teacher. "Sorry, Buckaroo, but the Lorwardians are a bit of a, well, a touchy subject for Ronald."

"Understatement much?" Kim said in a worried tone. "It's been two years, but he still has nightmares about that sitch."

"Shouldn't someone be going after him?" Buckaroo Banzai, former world saving hero, doctor, musician, and all around Renaissance man asked.

"If I know my son-in-law, he'll be heading to his parents' house," Anne answered.

"And right to his baby sister," Kim added. "That's actually the best place for him right now."

"We need him here," Buckaroo said with conviction. "Ron defeated the last two Lorwardians who attacked us, and we're going to need him when this next wave arrives. Where do your in-laws live, Kim? I'm going to have a little man to man talk with your husband."

"Not without me you're not. Come on, Buckaroo, it's not far."

----

In deep space, out beyond a region of the solar system known as the Oort Cloud, a large warship came out of hyperspace. Unlike other Lorwardian vessels, this one had dark hull plating that reflected very little light, making it nearly impossible for land or space based telescopes to see it against the black backdrop of space. That same hull plating also rendered it invisible to most detection systems. No one would know that this ship was there until after the attack had already begun.

On its bridge stood a tall, slender man with green skin, no hair, and yellow eyes. To the Lorwardian race, Warpaath was considered an outcast. He wasn't a statuesque personification of raw physical strength like other males of his species. Rather, he was a shrewd tactician who took the time to learn about his prey instead of throwing a world into chaos by disabling its power grids and then stomping it into submission with mechanized walkers. By knowing the enemy better than they knew themselves, Warpaath could anticipate every move his foes would make. His unorthodox methods had earned him victory after victory. In fact, Warpaath was considered one of the greatest of Lorwardia's warrior class; something that vexed his peers to no end. Especially Warhok.

_Warhok, _the strategist thought with disgust. _You were supposed to be the fiercest warrior in the galaxy. You were hailed as the standard by which all Lorwardians were judged, and yet you met your miserable end on this backwater planet. _A scowl formed on Warpaath's face. _You dishonored your people, and you took Warmonga down with you. Had she accepted my help when I offered it instead of shunning me, she would not have perished in defeat alongside you.__ I will succeed where you failed, Warhok, and I will be the most feared warrior this galaxy has ever seen!_ From behind him emerged a being who looked like a red skinned reptilian. "What do you want, John Ya-ya?"

"Just to know where we are," the Red Lectroid replied. "How soon until we arrive at Planet 10?"

"We're not going to Planet 10!" Warpaath snapped. "We're going to Earth. I want to face the one revealed to be the Great Blue; the one who defeated the so called 'mighty Warhok.' While we're there, we can retrieve that oscillation overthruster you were going on about. I must admit that this 8th Dimension you described to me has potential strategic value."

That answer enraged John Ya-ya. "I have waited over a century for revenge on the Black Lectroids, Warpaath. I will not be denied!"

The towering Lorwardian grabbed the smaller alien by the throat. "One: you belong to me and will address me as 'Master.' Two: this is my ship, and my word is law. Three: Planet 10 is on the other side of the sun, whereas Earth is on our current trajectory. Four: we will deal with your home planet only when the oscillation overthruster is in my posession, and the Red Lectroids currently trapped in the 8th Dimension are under my command! And five: make demands of me again and I will snap your neck like a twig! You are standing here alive and not mounted on some trophy wall by my good graces alone, reptile! Do not forget that, or your promise to deliver the overthruster and your fellow Red Lectroids to me! Your worthless life is mine to do with as I please, Ya-ya. Understood?"

"Understood. Master," the Red Lectroid rasped. _For now........_

----

"It never ends, does it, Han?" Ron sat in his little sister's bedroom with her on his lap. She was looking intently at her older brother, as if she was hanging on his every word. Insightful though she was, young Hana really had no idea what her big brother was going on about.

"I mean, here I am, the 'Ultimate Monkey Master' and all that," Ron continued, "and I faced my greatest challenge with those alien guys, and now they're coming back! I mean, what's up with that? If they were my greatest challenge, the 'Big Test,' then why do I have to take it again?" Ron's head fell. "Unless Sensei was wrong. Maybe I did fail when I killed those two and now I have to do the whole thing over again. Maybe all I am is a murderer."

Hana reached up and grabbed Ron's nose. "Brother silly!" she happily said.

"Real nice, little sis, I'm having a crisis of conscience and you're making me sound like I have a cold. Thanks for the support." That made Rufus, who had been perched on Ron's shoulder, laugh so hard that he nearly fell off. He quickly regained his composure and retreated to the safety of Ron's cargo pocket.

"Maybe she's just telling you to stop beating yourself up over this." When Ron turned around he saw his wife standing in the doorway with a concerned look on her face. "You've never really gotten over this sitch, have you, Ron?"

"Sister's here!" Hana happily exclaimed, wriggling from her brother's grasp and running right into her big sister-in-law's arms.

"Why don't I take Hana, Kimberly," Dean Stoppable, who had followed Kim and Buckaroo to Hana's room said. "I think this is a private talk between the three of you."

"Thanks, Dad," Kim said, handing Hana over to her father-in-law. "We'll play later. Okay, Han?"

"Kay," Hana happily replied.

"How do you get over murdering someone?" Ron asked after his dad and sister had left.

"Ron, you didn't murder anyone! They were going to kill me and who knows how many other people!"

"That didn't give me the right to kill them instead!"

Kim was about to launch into her normal counterargument when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "What gave the Lorwardians the right to invade our planet, Ron?" Buckaroo asked. "What gave them the right to destroy lives and cities. What gave them the right to do what they did?" Ron didn't answer. "The Lorwardians weren't innocent in all this, Ron. They claimed quite a few victims before you stopped them; innocent victims who didn't deserve the end they received." Buckaroo put a hand on Ron's shoulder. "The Lorwardians showed no mercy, son. You and I both know that they wouldn't have stopped until everyone on this planet was either dead or enslaved."

"That's what Sensei keeps telling me," Ron replied in a quiet voice.

"Then your sensei sounds very wise," Buckaroo said.

"He is," Kim confirmed, "and you should listen to him. And to us." Kim sat down in front of her husband and took his hands. "This is something I could never share with you, honey. I've never had to take a life, so I don't know how it feels."

"I do know how it feels," Buckaroo said. "It's never easy. You were left with no choice, Ron. They would have murdered you without a second thought, and with none of the remorse you're feeling now. Don't forget that you were fighting for survival; not just yours, but Kim's, Hana's, mine, and every one else's. You were faced with an impossible situation, but you did what had to be done in order to survive. I know that doesn't make it any easier, but it's true."

Ron closed his eyes as the events of that day flashed through his memory. "They were gonna turn Kim into some kind of a trophy. Sensei told me that this was my destiny, and that I was ready. I don't know how, but I knew he was right, so I stepped up and took them on. After I knocked them down a few times, they came at me, and I threw them as hard as I could. I didn't even know that their ship was overhead when I did it, not until they flew into it and it blew up. I didn't even think about doing it! I just did it. I didn't think about it until later, after they found the bodies....." Tears started to fall from Ron's eyes. "I don't think I can do this again, KP."

"Look, Ron," Buckaroo said, sitting down beside the young blond, "I don't know how you did what you did, and I'm not asking. I know all about keeping secrets, and this sounds like a pretty big one. I think it's safe to assume that you have some kind of power. If you had the capacity to become the same kind of that evil you and Kim fight against, you would have by now. As Lord John Acton said, 'Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.' I get the feeling that you didn't want whatever power you have, which is probably why you have it. You also have a kind soul, Ron Stoppable. That's your greatest strength."

"But I have gone evil, Buckaroo!" Ron protested. "Twice!"

"Both times were because of personality altering devices, Ron," Kim pointed out. "That cackling maniac wasn't you. This," she held up his left hand, showing him his own wedding ring, "this is you. 'Out there, in here,' remember? I love you, Ron. I wouldn't have married you if I thought you were an evil monster."

"This is something you're going to deal with for the rest of your life," Buckaroo said. "A lesser man would have been broken by this, but you're not a lesser man. Let me put it to you this way; it's a damn shame you were born when you were. Had you and Kim been born a few decades earlier, you would have been on my team. I need you on my team now, Ron. Help me stop the Red Lectroids and the Lorwardians. I can't do this without you."

_----_

Kim and Buckaroo eventually calmed Ron down, but did very little to relieve him of his guilt. Regardless, all three knew they had work to do. As soon as Ron pulled himself together, they returned to the Possible house, where Buckaroo Banzai told his story.

"It all started in 1938," he began, "with Dr. Emilio Lizardo and my mentor, the late Dr. Toichi Hikita. They had developed a machine they called an oscillation overthruster, which they hoped would allow them to pass through solid matter. It worked, but it did so by opening a gateway between our world and the 8th Dimension. That's when the trouble started. Out in the Kuiper Belt is Planet 10, home world of the Black Lectroids and their warlike cousins, the Red Lectroids."

"Planet 10?" Ron asked, clearly confused. "Guess those Lectrode people don't follow the news. I mean, Pluto isn't considered a planet anymore, is it? Wouldn't Planet 10 be Planet 9 now?"

"Ron," Kim said in her mission mode voice. "In the moment, please and thank you."

"Sorry, KP. You, uh, you were saying, Buckaroo?"

Buckaroo let out a small chuckle at Ron's interruption, then continued. "The Red Lectroids had been improsoned in the 8th Dimension by the Black Lectroids following a devastating war of expansion. Lord John Whorfin, one of the banished war criminals, escaped and took up residence in Dr. Lizardo's mind when the good doctor pierced the dimensional barrier during that first experiment. John Whorfin managed to release a thousand of his followers, who were all able to mask themselves by basically hypnotizing everyone in the world into seeing them as human. Only their leader was actually inhabiting a human body. This was on October 30th, 1938 in Grover's Mill, New Jersey."

"Wait," Tim Possible said, recognizing that date. "Wasn't the day of the _War of the Words_ broadcast?"

"Very good, Tim," Buckaroo said with a smile. "Despite what Orson Welles would later say, that wasn't a radio play; it really was a news broadcast about an alien invasion, albeit, not one from Mars. The Red Lectroids hypnotized him into thinking it was just an adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel. Later, they founded a company called Yoyodyne, and masqueraded as defense contractors. All the while they were tying to find a way of getting the rest of their comrades from the 8th Dimension and then return to Planet 10 for their revenge. John Whorfin had been institutionalized at the New Brunswick Home for the Criminally Insane after the Grover's Mill incident, but he broke out after he heard of the successful test of my overthruster in 1984."

"When you drove your jet car through that mountain," Jim said. "That was so cool!"

"The Black Lectroids showed up and helped me to defeat John Whorfin," Buckaroo continued. "I initially thought that the threat of the Red Lectroids was over, but I was wrong. One of them, a lower level minion named John Ya-ya, had survived the battle and went into hiding. Several years later, my team and I fought against him for the overthruster, but there was a malfunction. Instead of throwing him into the 8th Dimension, it opened a wormhole that Ya-ya fell through, right before opening a pan temporal vortex and sending my team and I into a possible future where wars were fought using giant battle robots. It took quite a while, but needless to say, we were able to get back home. After that I decided to start stepping back from public life. I've been pretty much retired from the hero thing since 1995."

"Giant battle robots?" Jim and Tim asked excitedly.

"It's not the same, but we once built a suit of armor that could turn into a motorcycle," Jim said.

"It was heavy and bulky, but it was so cool!" Tim added. "How big were the ones you saw?"

"And do you have the specs?" Jim asked excitedly. The wheels in the Tweebs' heads were turning.

"Boys, that's enough," Anne said, trying to avoid a possible disaster. "Give the man some room."

"It's quite all right, Anne," Buckaroo said. "I've always loved talking to kids about my exploits. I'll tell you the story later, okay, boys?"

"Cool!" the Tweebs declared.

"I hope you don't mind if I sit in on that," James said.

"You know, Dad," Tim smirked, "Dr. Banzai was in a band."

"Yeah!" Jim added. "The Hong Kong Cavaliers! That means he's technically show folk."

"And we all know how much you love show folk," they both said.

"Dr. Banzai is a well respected scientist, as were his band mates," James argued. "Besides, I happen to like the Hong Kong Cavaliers."

"Excuse me," Kim said, "getting back to the point here. How do you know that this Ya-ya guy is with the Lorwardians?"

"I have photographic evidence," Buckaroo said. "I've kept in pretty close contact with Planet 10 over the years. I became very good friends with a Black Lectroid named John Parker when he was sent to help me. You kind of form a bond with people when you face a life or death struggle with them."

"Another dude named John?" Ron asked, unable to help himself. "What, are they all named John?"

"Yes actually, they are. Even the females."

"Okay, weird," Kim said. "But then again, both of the aliens we faced off with had the word 'war' in their names."

"As I said," Buckaroo continued, "I'm still in contact with John Parker on Planet 10. The Black Lectroids mastered interplanetary travel a while ago, and they recently developed the means to travel faster than the speed of light." Buckaroo hung his head in sadness. "The first ship they sent out into interstellar space was destroyed by a Lorwardian battle cruiser."

Buckaroo opened his briefcase and pulled out a a laptop sized device, with what looked like a large disc of hardened wax wired to it. The push of a button caused the picture screen to come to life, showing the last message the Lectroid ship would ever send. It was just an image of a tall, slender, green skinned alien with a red skinned reptilian cowering behind him. "Kim, Ron, meet John Ya-ya. Apparently, that wormhole deposited him somewhere in the Lorwardian sphere of influence. It almost looks like they decided to keep him as a pet. According to the last recorded telemetry of the Lectroid ship, they were about five light years away from Earth."

"That is one skinny Lorwardian," Ron pointed out.

"How long till they get here?" Kim asked.

"I don't know," Buckaroo said. "There's no way of knowing how fast their ships are, or where they're planning on entering our solar system."

"What about those Lectroid guys?" Tim asked.

"The good ones?" Jim clarified. "Can't they spot the Lorwardians and tell us where they are?"

"Planet 10 is on the other side of the sun right now," Buckaroo answered. "Even with their subspace transmitters and relay satellites, it could be a while before we hear anything from them. And again, there's no guarantee they'll see anything. Our solar system is a pretty big place."

"We're on our own then," James said, bolting into an upright position. "I'll call Chen at the observatory and have him keep an eye open for any and all anomalous sightings."

"He'll have all the recourses of the Banzai Institute at his disposal, James."

"And I'll have Wade contact Global Justice," Kim said. "We're not getting caught with our pants down again."

"Although that would be familiar territory for Ron," Jim quipped.

"Tweeb," Kim growled, "not now."

Buckaroo let out a weary sigh at the mention of Ron's name. "There's something else you should know. John Parker told me that his people picked up a subspace message from the first Lorwardian ship right before it was destroyed. I think it was from some sort of emergency transmission that was triggered when the ship entered our atmosphere in an uncontrolled dive." He pressed another button on his viewer. The image changed to a bird's eye view of Ron, charged up with Mystical Monkey Power, hurling his foes into the path of their incoming ship with all his might. "They know that it was you who defeated Warhok and Warmonga, Ron. It's a pretty good bet that you're on their hit list."

"Uh oh," Rufus squeaked from Ron's pocket.

"They know and they're coming to get me!" Ron screamed. He was getting hysterical. "Why didn't you tell me this before?!"

"I'm sorry, Ron, but this _IS_ my way of telling you," Buckaroo replied, much to Ron's chagrin.

----

Lorwdian technology, advanced though it was, still had its limits. Even though they were billions of miles away from this system's parent star, the relatively close proximity of Warpaath's ship to the star's gravity well necessitated traveling at sub light speeds. Having just exited the cometary repository known as the Kuiper Belt, Warpaath's ship was approaching the orbit of a world the natives of this system called Neptune. This slow voyage gave the conqueror the time he needed to study his enemy. Once again Warpaath scanned over the transmission he intercepted from Warhok's ship; a transmission that would, thanks to Warpaath, never reach Lorwardia, leaving him as the only one who knew of the great warrior's defeat at the hands of the so-called Great Blue.

_He is puny,_ Warpaath thought, studying the image of the glowing blue human. _But his small stature can work to his advantage. No doubt he is faster than I. He is also strong; the ease with which he dispatched both Warhok and Warmonga attests to that. But that doesn't mean he can't be crushed like a crystaline spider under my boot. He must have weaknesses. _The image changed to one of a flame haired female; the very female who had once defeated Warmonga. A devilish grin crossed Warpaath's lips when he saw the Great Blue spring to the female's defense. He'd found what he was looking for.

_So, the "Great Blue" and the fire haired one are battle-mates. Like a fool, he tethers his heart to another. _Warpaath let out a low, feral growl. _Love is a weakness that will be your undoing, "Great Blue." It is said that you will lead my people to victory, but the legends never spoke of what kind of victory that would be. I never believed in that old superstition. In fact, I believe I will be the one who decides Lorwardia's ultimate fate after I utterly destroy you in battle. _Warpaath indulged in a subdued laugh. His time was coming.


	3. Chapter 3

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_----_

It was going perfectly. He had the layout of the Middleton Tech Museum on a heads up display on the lenses of his new helmet, showing him where to go. He had his to do list stored in the new PDA he had built into the left glove of his uniform, so there was no chance of losing it and having Kim Possible use it against him. But best of all, with Dr. Drakken and Shego out of the game, no one would beat him to the punch or try to steal his prize from him later; not like with the pan dimensional vortex inducer. He had even managed to bypass all of the security measures guarding the device. _Zis will be like taking candy from a baby, _he thought. Oh yes, this midnight break in was going absolutely perfectly.

When Professor Dementor learned that the oscillation overthruster once used by Buckaroo Banzai to drive through a mountain would be exhibited in Middleton, it was too good pass up. True, the machine no longer worked, but it was still worth the effort to retrieve it. Even if Dementor couldn't get the device functional again, he could still sell it at auction for a pretty penny.

The diminutive madman quickly and quietly removed the vent grating and rappelled out of the ventilation system. "Come to me, mein little treaure," he said to himself as he approached the display case. Dementor was about to take out his signal jammer when an ear splitting alarm went off. Dementor's shoulders slumped. "For ze out loud crying," he muttered. "Vill someone please SHUT OFF ZAT INFERNAL ALARM! I am going to be having ze ringing of ze ears after zis."

But no guards came. Instead, several of the security camers deployed a separate lens which projected a holographic image of the former Dr. Drakken and Shego. "Well hello there, shorty," the holo-Shego said. "We just knew you'd try for the overthruster."

"That's right," the Drew Lipsky hologram agreed. "We left this little surprise especially for you."

"We hope you like it," the holographic Sheila Gordon-Lipsky said in a mocking voice. The two holograms faded and were replaced with a wall sized image of Professor Dementor in a purple dress and a wig. "Love the dress, by the way. That color suits you."

"It is not a dress," Dementor protested, "it is a HOUSECOAT!"

"Housecoat, dress, who cares?" Drew mocked.

"You're in drag, Dementor, get over it," Sheila added.

A wave of panic swept through the mad scientist. "Don't tell me zis is a live feed."

"You're probably wondering if this is a live feed," Drew said. "It's not. We knew all about your little dress/housecoat fiasco from Kim Possible's computer guy, so we set up this little surprise for you."

"You've gotta have a pretty big ego if you think we'd sit around and wait for you to lift the overthruster just so we could mock you," Sheila chuckled. "We do have a life, you know. Oh, and FYI, this little mugshot has just been transmitted to every criminal syndicate and law enforcement agency in the world. You might want to get a face plate for that helmet, 'cause you won't be able to show your face anywhere for a long, long time."

"Nnnngggg. Sheila, I wanted to taunt him about that."

"Next time, honey. Promise." The audio ended, but the image remained, burning itself into Dementor's memory.

"Mein career is over" Dementor said to himself, mortified at the repercussions that having that picture circulated through the super villain underworld would have on his reputation. He barely even noticed when the police came to take him away.

----

At that exact same moment across town, a smart phone sitting on a nightstand started playing an MC Honey track, rousing a pale green skinned woman from her sleep. Half opened eyes scanned over the device. Had she been more awake, Sheila would have laughed hysterically. Instead, she only chuckled.

"What is it?" her equally incoherent husband asked, not even bothering to roll over and face her.

"Dementor tried to steal the overthruster," Sheila yawned. "He just set off the hologram that we had Nerdlinger set up."

Drew finally sat up. "Tell me you got security camera footage of the look on Dementor's face."

"Oh yeah! Like I was going to pass that up."

"Ha!" Drew proclaimed. "At long last, victory is mine!" He caught the dirty look he was getting from his wife. "Well, ours. He had this coming after the incessant mockery he heaped on us after we were pardoned."

"Not to mention the little helmet he sent Joey for his first birthday," Sheila said with a shudder. "Well, that's one lowlife down."

"About a dozen or so more to go," Drew finished. No one said sticking to the straight and narrow would be easy, but they also never said it could be this much fun.

----

Ron Stoppable sat alone in his living room in the dark, staring at a blank TV screen. At 1:30 in the morning, he really should have been asleep, but he just couldn't seem to reach that state of blissful unconsciousness.

"You know," a voice from behind him said, "most people turn the TV on _before_ they veg out in front of it."

"I'm not vegging, Monique," Ron said. "Just can't sleep. What are you doing up this late?"

"I got thirsty," she replied, taking a seat beside Ron on the couch. "Can't a girl get a glass of water in the middle of the night anymore?"

"I dunno," Ron said in a monotone voice, "can she?"

"Boy what's up with you? You barely said a word all through dinner, then you went to bed, like, mondo early! What's your damage?"

"No damage, just thinking."

"No wonder I smelled smoke when I came in here," Monique smirked.

"Oh, ha ha very funny," Ron shot back. "I was just thinking about something Buckaroo said earlier tonight."

"I've been meaning to ask; what kind of a name is 'Buckaroo,' anyway?"

"I think it came from the fact that his dad really liked westerns," the voice of Kim Stoppable said as the living room lights came on. "So, you'll listen to what one world saving hero said to you after only one sit down, but not to what another world saving hero has been saying to you for the last two years. A world saving hero who, I might add, you're _married to_." She saw the look of panic on Ron's face and giggled. "Relax, honey, I'm just playing you."

Kim took a seat on the other side of her husband, and took his hand. Rufus, who had hitched a ride in the pocket of Kim's robe, scampered up on his person's shoulder. "Aw, it's okay," he cooed.

"I really didn't have a choice, did I?" Ron asked no one in particular. "I mean, you and Sensei kept saying that the Lorwardians just would've kept on thrashing stuff and hurting people. It really would have been worse if I didn't do anything."

Kim smiled at her guy. "It only took two years, but it finally got through to you."

Monique wore a look of total confusion. "Wait, I'm in the dark here. What exactly did Ron do?" All Kim and Ron had told her was that the aliens had been stopped, not how or by whom.

"He took out the Lorwardians," Kim replied. "He saved me, you, and everyone else on the planet."

"And just how did he do that? I mean, you said those things were crazy strong!"

"It's a long story, and one we can't really get into," Kim said. "But the important thing is, my Ron is a hero."

"Uh huh," Rufus agreed. "Big hero!"

Ron shook his head a little. "I don't feel like a hero."

"I got news for you, boy," Monique said, "most heroes don't."

----

Warpaath watched in silence as a large, spherical asteroid drifted by on the port side of his ship. _That body would make an excellent staging area, _he thought. _This system has so many strategic points from which to launch an invasion. A pity it is so far away from the main centers of galactic commerce. _The tall, green skinned humanoid looked over at his chart. They were now about halfway thorugh the asteroid belt. Soon they would pass the orbit of a world called Mars. _A blood red world named for a god of war. Perhaps I will build a palace there after I conquer Earth. _

Earth. Had it not been for Warmonga's belief that the Great Blue was on that mud ball, Warpaath would never have heard of it. _Then she and that fool Warhok died there. That alone makes up for its insignificance in the grander scheme._ Warpaath never liked Warhok. Like the rest of his peers, Warhok looked down on Warpaath for his slighter stature and lack of a so called "warrior's physique." Warmonga had been different, until she and Warhok became battle-mates. After that, even she turned against him. _Now I will succeed where you both failed by conquering this worthless rock, and crushing the one who defeated you. After I destroy this "Great Blue," I will focus on Lorwardia itself._ Warpaath smiled at that thought. He would soon have a device that could imprison anyone in a shapeless void for all eternity. What better way of getting revenge on a world that had wronged him?

----

A sleek spaceship with swept back dual thrusters was the sight that greeted Dr. Buckaroo Banzai when he entered the main hangar and launch prep area of the Middleton Space Center. "There she is," Dr. James Possible proudly declared. "The _Keppler III_. We finished her six months ago."

"Impressive," Buckaroo said. "But I doubt that she was designed with interstellar combat in mind."

"Oh, heavens no," James confirmed. "But that didn't stop Ronald and Sheila from taking her predecessor up to get Kimmie and Drew out of that alien ship."

"The Banzai Institute was sent some of the wreckage from the Lorwardian ship, as well as from a few walkers. Unfortunately, we've had no luck at all in reverse engineering the technology. I guess the Lorwardians don't want their machines falling into alien hands. Every time we try to scan a piece of hardware, or take something apart, the object we were examining self destructs. The only real success we've had is in analyzing the signal they sent out to disrupt the world's power grids, and that's only because we were able to record the signal itself."

"Can we defend against it?" James asked.

"Now we can. And we think we're getting close to figuring out the programming for the walkers. I've turned over the data we currently have to young Mr. Load. I figure if anyone can decipher the Lorwardian computer code, it's him."

"Wait, if their tech self destructs...."

"How do we know anything about the walkers' programming?" Buckaroo smiled. "Fortunately for us, the Lorwardians don't seem to consider computer nerds a threat. They safeguarded the hardware, not the software. Actually, that's how Wade thinks that Smite fellow was able to use part of a walker to build that monster android body of his last year."

James winced at the mention of Smite, formerly known as Erik, or Syntho-Drone 901. James and Kim had launched his remains into the sun from the controls in this very hangar. "So Wade can hack in, download the operating system, and use it to write a new code that lets us shut them down," James said, getting back to business. "Well, I guess we can expect an oversight like that from a species that puts on off switch on their engine cores."

"Exactly!" Buckaroo looked up at the sleek spacecraft again. "This is a fine looking ship, James. Hopefully she'll be able to fulfill her primary function, unlike the two that came before her."

The sound of the _Captain Constellation_ theme came from James's pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and answered it. "They are? Great. Have them meet us in the conference room." He closed the fold and put the phone back in his pocket. "Kimmie and Ronald are here."

"Good," Buckaroo said. "Now we can start planning."

----

A small blue orb grew larger in the forward viewport. Emerging from behind it was an even smaller grey orb. "So this planet has a moon," Warpaath said. "Perfect. It will make an excellent place to house my trophies." He initiated a sensor sweep of the area, focusing on the flotilla of satellites orbiting the planet. "These humans do like their satellites, don't they? And a space station, as well. Best to not take any chances." His ship was virtually undetectable, but that didn't mean someone couldn't get lucky and spot it. Warpaath expertly guided his ship through the Earth's atmoshere, controlling his descent so his ship wouldn't appear as a fireball streaking across the sky. Once through that envelope of air, Warpaath guided his ship directly towards a large body of water near the planet's northern polar region. A black ship in the dark ocean depths would be difficult to spot.

"Hiding from the humans, Master?" John Ya-ya taunted from the small chair in the back of the command center he was permitted to use. "Don't tell me that a mighty Lorwardian like you is afraid of primitive hairless monkeys."

Warpaath pressed a small button on his right gauntlet. A jolt of excruciating pain shot through the Red Lectroid's body, causing him to seize up, fall to the floor, and scream in agony. "Do you like it?" Warpaath asked. "I spiked your last meal with nano-bots that were preprogramed to assemble themselves as a series of punishment modules. They have positioned themselves throughout your body at specific nerve clusters. Quite ingenious, actually. They use your own nervous system against you. I can make you feel the most intense pain you've ever experienced, or I can just kill you and put you out of my misery." Warpaath calmly walked over to his pet and pulled him up by the collar. "Let this be a warning to you, reptile. I own you. And I will not tolerate any more disobedience."

Warpaath dropped the Red Lectroid and walked away. John Ya-ya, infuriated over this latest indignity, charged at the larger alien. But before he could reach his target, he was again enveloped by a blanket of pure agony. "Did I forget to mention that the punishment modules will activate automatically if you think about or try to commit any act of violence against me? Again, they are quite ingenious. The central control relay is in your own prefrontal cortex. It can pick up on your emotional states and give you a reminder of who holds your leash." Warpaath took a seat in his command throne. "But enough of this." His fingers punched in a series of commands on the armrest control panel. "Now that we are sufficiently hidden, it is time to launch my spies."

With the push of a button, a small fleet of basketball sized drones left the ship and shot up out of the water; streaking into the sky above. After clearing the atmosphere, the watchers took up their positions beyond the orbits of Earth's fleet of satellites. They were far enough away that they would not be detected by terrestrial observers, but close enough to listen in on all of Earth's transmissions and conversations. "My eyes and ears in the sky," Warpaath said. "The humans can keep no secrets from me."

"But why hide_, _Master_?"_ Ya-ya, panted, still trying to regain his composure. "I've seen the vids in your conquest archive. Disrupt their power grids, launch your walkers and be done with it!"

"No, John Ya-ya," Warpaath said in a condescending tone. "The humans have faced that tactic before and will no doubt be prepared for it. We need a new strategy."

"There is no proof that they know we are here!"

"And none that they do not know, either," Warpaath pointed out.

"You overestimate the humans, Master."

"And you know nothing of warfare," Warpaath said calmly. "If the humans could not only fight back against, but defeat, two of the most feared Lorwardian conquerers ever known, then they are not to be trifled with. My watchers will let me determine if the humans know we are here, and if they have any defenses against us. Only after I know their capabilities will I make my first move."

"Then at least point one of those watcher things at the Banzai Institute in New Jersey," Ya-ya demanded. "Buckaroo Banzai is one of the most dangerous hairless apes to walk that mud heap. Besides, it may tell us where he's hiding the overthruster."

Warpaath raised an eyebrow at his captive. "An excellent suggestion, John Ya-ya. I think I will give you an extra helping of final meal tonight."

_Mock me while you can, "Master," _Ya-ya thought resentfully. _Once I get that overthruster I'll...._ his body again went rigid as the punishment modules attacked his pain receptors, reacting to the thoughts of violence against his master.

"You shouldn't have done that, John Ya-ya. Now there will be no dinner for you."

----

"Here's what I've got," Wade Load said over the Mark I Kimmunicator that Buckaroo Banzai was using. Buckaroo, Kim and Ron were in the main conference room of the Space Center, trying to figure out their first move against the invaders. "The walkers are preprogrammed to hit specific targets," Wade continued, "usually large population centers. They have a pretty sophisticated sensor apparatus that lets them home in on large energy sources and life sign readings."

"That makes sense," Buckaroo said. "These things are the perfect first wave. Send them in to destroy infrastructure and decimate any defense forces so the invaders themselves can come in and finish the job with minimal resistance. I take it that, since you figured out the program, you also figured out a way to shut it down."

"Well, since I've been able to really see the ones and zeroes of these things, I think I can whip up a program that will actually let us take control of the walkers. Instead of shutting them down, we can use them to give the Lorwardians a taste of their own medicine."

"Good thinking, Wade," Buckaroo said, obviously impressed. "That's brilliant! I knew you were the right man for the job."

The young genius blushed. "Well, uh, th-thanks, Dr. Banzai." Wade had just been praised by one of his heroes; he could now die happy.

"It's Buckaroo, Wade."

Wade's smile grew wider before he got serious again. "There is one problem. We'll have to upload the program to one walker at a time. These things aren't networked, and they don't have radio receivers."

"If they don't have receivers, how will we upload the control program?" Kim asked.

"That's the hard part," Wade replied. "There's an interface port at the very top of the walkers; probably for downloading their marching orders directly from the mother ship's main computer. That's the only way to hack into these things and upload the new program."

"Okay, why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this?" Ron said.

"I've whipped up some adapters that will let you plug the Kimmunicators directly into the walkers," Wade continued. "Once I send you the program, you'll be able to upload it right into their CPU's. Of course, that means you're gonna have to get on top of these things, since that's where the ports are."

Ron's shoulders slumped. "There it is. _That's _why I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this."

"So we have to do this with every walker we run across?" Kim asked. "Not your best plan, Wade."

"You only have to do it to a few of them," Wade said. "The ones we get under our control will go after their brothers."

"What's to stop it from getting blown up by those same brothers?" Kim asked, still not convinced.

"It's a distraction," Buckaroo surmised. "With the walkers fighting each other, it might give us the time we need to launch a counterstrike, and take out some of their hardware at the same time."

"Exactly!" Wade confirmed. "At the very least, it might help us even out the playing field."

"It's what we have," Buckaroo said. "All right, Wade, get on it."

"I've already started writing the new command protocols for the walkers," Wade said. "We should be up and ready in about two hours."

The screen went dark and Buckaroo nodded in approval. "Yet another person I wish had been born a few decades earlier. You have quite a team there, Kim."

Kim smiled and took Ron's hand. "They're the best. I couldn't save the world without them. Any of them."

----

Warpaath was almost amused as he checked over his incoming intelligence. _If these humans spent as much time training for war as they do gossiping about their leaders and celebrities, they would almost be dangerous. They do fight amongst themselves, but their so called "wars" are no more than the play fighting of children! _Warpaath's amusement turned to disgust. _It was this rabble that was able to halt a Lorwardian onslaught? Unthinkable. These pitiful creatures aren't even worthy of being slaves._

Warpaath looked over at a side view panel. It showed a region of the North American continent called Colorado; specifically a city known as Middleton. _It is there that Warmonga and that dolt Warhok met their maker. _For a brief moment, a look of sadness softened the alien's face. _You didn't deserve so inglorious an end, my old friend. No, you deserved a death worthy of being praised in song until after the stars have gone dark. _His features hardened again as the old feelings of scorn flooded his heart. _No, you didn't deserve to die here anymore than I deserved your mockery and spite when last we spoke; anymore than I deserved your betrayal. What I do here, I do for my own glory, Warmonga. Not yours._

Warpaath turned to the watchers that were searching for the remains of Warhok's ship. Theye found it in two places; at a base in the Nevada desert called Area 51, and at the Banzai Institute in New Jersey. _Maybe I should feed Ya-ya for his suggestion after all,_ he mused. Warpaath deepened the scan on the Institute in search of the oscillation overthruster; a search that came up empty. _Then again, perhaps I should consider using starvation as a motivator. _"It seems your overthruster is not in this Banzai person's fortress, Ya-ya. You have failed me yet again. I advise you to not make a habit of it."

John Ya-ya glared at his captor with disgust. Ever since that wormhole dropped him on Warpaath's doorstep, Ya-ya had been little more than a pet to this eight foot tall tormentor. Only stories of the overthruster, and the promise that Ya-ya's comrades would be Warpaath's to command once freed, had kept the Lorwardian from mounting Ya-ya's spine on a wall in some far off trophy room. For well over a decade John Ya-ya had been a slave to the Lorwardian, but now he could almost taste his freedom.

Ya-ya looked over the incoming data from the watcher drones on a monitor in a far corner of the control room. It was the watcher tuned in to various news feeds. He zeroed in on one specific broadcast when he saw a split screen image with the overthruster on one side, and a short man in an absurd looking helmet on the other.

"...was the scene last night at the Middleton Tech Museum when Professor Dementor tried to break in to the oscillation overthruster exhibit on loan from the Banzai Institute. Over two decades ago, Dr. Buckaroo Banzai, who is here with the exhibi-" Ya-ya killed the sound.

"At last I will be free of this humiliation," he whispered to himself. Without thinking, he rushed to the central command console and hit the button that would start the attack. Warpaath's ship was now trying to jam the Earth's power grids, and the walkers were about to launch.

"Ya-ya, you fool!" Warpaath bellowed, turning the punishment modules up to their highest, non-lethal setting. He stormed over to the Red Lectroid, who now writhed in agony before him, and quickly hit the override for the launch control. But it was too late. The walkers had launched, and because Warpaath's ship was several miles underwater, they wouldn't be distributed to their target sites as they would have been had they deployed from orbit. Instead, the walkers would have to traverse thousands of miles of ocean to reach their targets. Fortunately for Warpaath, he long ago realized that he may have to launch his forces ahead of schedule, or in less than ideal conditions. Even now the walkers' flight systems were lifting them from beneath the frigid waves. No, the problem wasn't where the attack was launched, but when.

"Barely a quarter of the walkers had been been fueled and armed for the coming battle!" Warpaath growled. "And those that were will be detected long before they reach land! Explain yourself!"

"Taking.... too........ long....." Ya-ya rasped. "Over..thruster is in......Middleton.........so is....Banzai! Others.... seek to steal it......."

Warpaath turned down the intensity of the punishment modules. "Middleton. With the 'Great Blue' and his fire haired consort. It seems I will have my confrontation sooner than expected." Warpaath shut the punishment modules down. "This is your last warning, Lectroid. Run afoul of me again, and I will tear your spine from you while you are still alive to feel it."

----

Alarm klaxons were sounding at the Banzai Institute, the Space Center conference room that Kim, Ron and Buckaroo were using as a staging area, and at various military and Global Justice installations across the globe. Not surprisingly, Wade Load detected the attempted power disruption before anyone else, and was already acting when the professionals were still figuring out what was going on.

"Code red, Kim!" he announced when she answered the Kimmunicator. "I'm picking up the Lowrardian jamming signal. They're making their move!"

"Where's it coming from, Wade?" Kim asked.

"From out in the middle of the Arctic Ocean! The ship is several miles underwater. I traced the signal back to its source, and was able to get a GJ spy satellite in position. I can't see the ship itself, but I can see anything it launches!"

"Well, I guess that answers the question of when they're getting here," Ron observed. "They already did."

"That doesn't really help us out though," Kim said. "They still launched before we could find them."

"Then we go now, ready or not," Buckaroo said from over her shoulder. "Any sign of the walkers yet?"

"That's the weird part," Wade reported. "A thousand or so launched, but only about two hundred and fifty are moving. And since the ship is submerged, they all launched underwater."

"Things can survive reentry without a scratch. I seriously doubt the ocean depths will stop them," Buckaroo said. "Are the power grid countermeasures working?"

"Perfectly," Wade said. "No disruptions in global power." An alarm from his tracking station got Wade's attention. "Uh oh. These walkers can fly! And fast! I see about twenty of them heading right for Middleton. At their current speed they should be here in about sixtyseven minutes."

"That's not a lot of time," Kim said. "Keep us posted on their ETA, Wade."

"How long until the new operating program is ready?" Buckaroo asked.

"It's ready now," Wade said. "I'm downloading it to your Kimmunicators even as we speak."

"Great," Ron said dryly. "So all we have to do now is wait for those giant four legged flying saucers to show up so Kim and me can scramble their brains. Am I the only one here who thinks that two walkers against twenty is just a little crazy? I mean, talk about being outnumbered! I know this is supposed to be a distraction and everything, but this is a really bad one! And I should know! I made a career out of being the distraction."

"Yeah! Bad idea," Rufus agreed from Ron's shoulder.

"I'm going too, Ron," Buckaroo said. "Don't forget that we're gonna try to reprogram as many as we can."

"Then you'll need more than three people out there," a voice from the door to the conference room door declared. In the doorway stood a woman in green and black, with hot green plasma erupting from her hands.

Ron smirked in approval. "I know that glow," he said. "Is this good or bad?"

"For you, Buffoon, it's good. But for the aliens it's very, very bad. Shego's back in business!"

"Booyah," Ron said in a dangerous voice.

"Definitely," Kim agreed. "But why come out of retirement now? I mean, shouldn't you be with Drew and Joey?"

Shego adjusted her clawed gloves. "Drew's here right now, trying to see if he can whip up some more of that plant potion of his. That stuff worked last time, so hey, maybe lightning will strike twice. As for Joey, he's with Stoppable's family. I figured that having a playmate would keep both of the rugrats calm."

"Yeah, I can see that," Ron agreed. "Han and Joey do seem to like playing together, don't they?"

"Now, fork over one of those Kimmunicators and let's get down to business," Shego said. "Let's get these guys before they can trash the place again."

"It's good to have you on board, Shego," Buckaroo said. "Now come on, that mutagenic plant formula you mentioned is giving me an idea. Here's what we're going to do....."


	4. Chapter 4

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_----_

It had been just over two years since Sheila Gordon-Lipsky had worn the familiar green and black uniform that had, at one time, been her trademark. In fact, the last time she wore it was the day before she left for Las Vegas to marry the former Dr. Drakken. She'd had every intention of doing some sort of costumed adventuring afterward, but the business she started, as well as her pregnancy, quickly put an end to that. _But here I am now, _she thought. _Teaming up with two people I used to try to beat the snot out of on a regular basis, as well as someone who could have been a real pain in the butt if he hadn't retired before I got started in the bad guy biz. And I'm going up against alien invaders for the second time in as many years. I might want to think about getting a CAT scan if I survive this. I think that little trip into the broadcast tower Kimmie sent me on a few years ago may have scrambled by brains._

"Everything all right, Shego?" an older man asked her. Even now, nearing his sixties, Buckaroo Banzai was an imposing figure. He was still strong, fast and confident; every bit as much the trained samurai he had been in his youth.

"Not really, Doc," Shego replied. "I'm doing this again. Willingly. I think I might need to have my head examined later on."

"That makes all of us," Ron Stoppable said in a shaky voice. He stood in the middle of the Space Center's hangar, gazing at the _Keppler III_. Unlike last time, Ron and Shego wouldn't be taking any spaceships out for a joyride. No, this time the fight would start on terra firma when the walkers came in for a landing. Ron, wearing a sleeker black and red variant of the space suit and jet pack he had worn during the first Lorwardian attack, was again fighting with his anxieties.

Shego looked at the young man with equal parts surprise and sympathy. Ron was a case study in contradictions. He was clumsy, but a master of monkey kung fu. He came off as slow or dimwitted at times, but was a closet genius, able to cobble together a rudimentary doomsday machine from old kitchen appliances, or a build a sophisticated Mega Weather Generator while a fight was raging in the same room. Of course, that last example was when he had absorbed Drakken's evil, such as it was. But most of all, here was this easily startled young man who could turn into the world's fiercest warrior in the blink of an eye if his loved ones were in danger. Here and now, he looked like he was going to pass out or throw up. But somehow Shego knew he would do neither. He would step up as he had done countless times before.

In a move that would have been totally out of character for her just two years ago, Shego approached Ron and took him in an almost sisterly embrace. "Calm down, Monkey Boy. You're gonna do fine."

Rufus scampered out of the specially made pocket that had been made for him and onto Ron's shoulder. "Shego right," he squeaked.

"Tell that to the legions of butterflies in my stomach," Ron muttered.

"Come on, Stoppable!" Shego exclaimed. "You got nothing to be afraid of. If push comes to shove, you can send this next bunch on the same flight you sent the last two on."

"Yeah," Ron weakly replied. "That's what I'm afraid of." Even though he had recently somewhat come to terms with his actions of two years ago, he wasn't too keen on having a repeat performance. Something both Shego and Buckaroo could understand.

"You'll be fine, Ron," Buckaroo, who was wearing a similar suit to Ron's said. "Now come on. We need to meet up with Kim, James and Drew in the lab and see if those new toys are ready for a test run."

----

"I must say, Drew, I think you've really done it this time," Dr. James Possible said. Drew Lipsky had once hated James Possible with a passion, but since Drew became a father, the two had found a common ground. Drew's own father had long since passed away when Joey was born, and the only person he could ask advice from was his one time rival. Now they stood in the main workshop of the Space Center, working together for a common goal; saving the world from an alien attack. Again.

"Reproducing the super high pollinator was the easy part," the blue hued former would be dictator replied in a smug voice. A long vine that was sprouting from the back of his neck had extended to a length of about eight feet, and was screwing the last pressure nozzle into place. "Turns out the formula can be synthesized from my own blood. The delivery system, on the other hand, was going to be a little harder. Fortunately your sons enlightened me to something called the Ultra Drencher 500-XPS."

"Ah yes, the Ultra Drencher," James mused. "The boys upgraded that thing to the point that it could blast the shingles off of a house at fifty feet."

Jim and Tim exchanged high fives and a hearty "Hoosha!"

"Not bad, Tweebs," Kim Stoppable said with no small amount of pride. She too was wearing a suit like Ron and Buckaroo, only hers was black with purple trim. "Who knew your compulsive need to turn ordinary stuff into intruments of mayhem and chaos would come in so handy?"

"Nice work," Buckaroo Banzai added. "How many of these do we have ready?"

"Only four," Drew replied. "It was the best we could do on such short notice." Drew admired his handiwork; four ten foot long pressure nozzles with attached fluid tanks to store the pollinator formula. "Still, not bad for working under the gun."

"We sent the design specs for the pressure nozzles, as well as Drew's formula, off to your people at the Banzai Institute," James said. "That Reno Nevada fellow said they were going to start fabricating the tanks and nozzles, and replicating the super high pollinator. He even sent us designs for an upload attachment based on Wade's adapters that we can mount beside the pollinator tanks, and a radio receiver so we can remote control these things."

"Good old Reno," Buckaroo mused.

Shego came up behind her husband and embraced him. "Who knows, Drew, maybe you'll get another award for this."

"It couldn't destroy my villain cred any more than it already is," Drew grumbled.

"Uh, Drew," Ron said, "you never had any villain cred."

"Nope, no cred," Rufus agreed.

"No one asked you or your hairless rodent, Buffoon."

"Anyway," Kim said, trying to regain control of the situation, "what's next? Are the rest of the Hong Kong Cavaliers going to be charging in with plant guns at the ready?"

"Not this time," Buckaroo replied. "I'm having them hold the fort back home, and distribute Mr. Lipsky's invention to the Blue Blazer Irregulars. If we have everything ready in time, that is."

"What about the military and Global Justice?" Tim asked.

"The military are already on full alert, and know what we've got planned," Buckaroo said. "We'll give them every assistance they need. GJ is another story." That remark elicited curious looks from Team Possible. "Let's just say that, ever since my last official mission, I haven't gotten along so well with the Global Justice leadership. Add in their complete failure to act during Diablo Night and the first invasion, and you can see why I don't put a lot of faith in that organization."

"They're not that bad," Kim said weakly, having been a GJ cadet agent herself once. "I mean, Dr. Director's done pretty well by us."

"Sometimes they're worse," Buckaroo growled. "And Betty Director, competent though she is, sometimes lets herself get blinded by her own petty squabbles. But we're getting off topic." He took out a laser pointer and approached a map of the Tri-City. "According to Wade's last update, the walkers will be here within ten minutes. They're current course and speed will put them right here," he shined the pointer at a section of downtown. "That area has already been evacuated. The plan is to separate four walkers from the main group. We reprogram them, mount these cannons on them, and have Wade send them against the others. They'll immobilize the other walkers with the vines produced by Mr. Lipsky's high pollinator formula, which will give us the chance we need to upload the new operating system. The goal is to get as many of these things on our side as we can."

"Uh, just how are we supposed to move those oversized water pistols?" Ron asked. "I mean, I'm pretty sure those things weigh just a few tons more than I can lift without heavy machinery."

"We'll have to bring the walkers here," Buckaroo said. "Not the best plan, I know, but it's all we have. There's just no way to do the install in the field."

"Besides," Wade said from the main display monitor in the workshop, "I'll need to whip up a software patch for the control program. The plant guns, receivers and upload devices won't work without it."

"If it's all we have, then we go with it," Kim said. "Time to get down to business."

----

Every Lorwardian had their preferred own method of travel while traversing the battlefield. Warhok had his winged flight harness, Warmonga had her rocket board, and Warpaath had his sky cycle. Sporting the same sensor camoulage as his ship, it was both swift and stealthy. Behind him sat John Ya-ya; shackled to the back of the cycle. A jolt to a specific nerve cluster from the punishment modules had rendered the Red Lectroid unconscious, and thus, a much better traveling companion. Warpaath had considered leaving his pet on the ship, but didn't trust Ya-ya as far as he could throw his own starship with one hand.

Warpaath was no fool. If John Ya-ya was serious about selling out his entire race just to stay alive, then he was not exactly the most trustworthy of allies. The same was true if this was, as Warpaath suspected, just a ruse. He was certain that Ya-ya was planning on betraying him once the overthruster was in his hands. _He will not get that chance. _Warpaath would do away with the reptile first. The very fact that Ya-ya had ruined hours of surveillance and planning had given Warpaath a very good reason to sever all ties with the Red Lectroid, not to mention his head.

It wasn't a total loss, however. Warpaath's adaptabillity in combat was one of his greatest strengths. The premature launch of his invasion force had angered him greatly, but it also provided him with an opportunity. While his foes were holding off the walkers, he would go to this Tech Museum and liberate the overthruster. Once that was done, he would start the next phase of his plan. _First I decimate Earth, then I get my revnege on Lorwardia. It will be so sweet to thrust those who humiliated me into the 8th Dimension while wearing the Great Blue's pelt as a cloak. I doubt even Emperor Warlorrd himself would dare to stand against me._

----

The first of the walkers touched down fifteen feet in front of Earth's defenders. Kim and Ron Stoppable, along with Buckaroo Banzai, were all equipped with specialized jet pack suits in order to get to the interface port at the very top of the machines. Although offered a jet suit of her own, Shego opted instead to fight on the ground. "Gotta make sure I'm back in fighting trim after having my baby," she explained. "Besides, I haven't cut loose in a long time. I'm gonna enjoy this."

Ron tapped into only a fraction of the Mystical Monkey Power. His eyes turned blue as he felt his strength and agility increase. Normally he could "read" his opponents and anticipate their actions, but that didn't work with mindless machines. Ron would have to rely on his mad running away skills to keep one step ahead of the sky scraper sized behemoths.

"Now!" Buckaroo Banzai shouted. He, Kim and Ron took to the skies and selected their targets; the first three that landed. Shego ran towards the fourth.

Shego let out a feral yell as she charged up her right hand and took a swipe at one of the legs. She intentionally missed; more interested in getting its attention. "Hey tall, red and gangly! Over here!" She tossed a few plasma blasts at it, just to make sure it had seen her. "Get it to follow you," she said in an annoyed voice once it had given chase. "Brilliant idea! And I thought Drew came up with some pretty whack stuff back in the day."

"Kim, incoming at three o'clock!" Buckaroo warned. He shot towards the young redhead, pushing her out of the walker's aim.

Kim was about to thank him when she saw a walker from over his shoulder aim one of its stake like feet at Buckaroo. "Time to move!" she yelled, pushing him out of the way a split second before he would have been impailed.

"Thanks for the save, Kim," Buckaroo said. "I'm getting too old for this."

"No big. Besides, I owed you one," Kim said. "I can't believe we're doing this again. One alien invasion a lifetime is more than enough."

"Hey, this is my third," Buckaroo joked. "After a while, you get used to it."

"Sidekick coming through!" Ron screamed as he flew by at top speed. Behind him were no less than three walkers.

"How did he-?" Buckaroo started to ask.

"Ron always had a knack for getting someone's attention," Kim replied. She saw the fist sized dents on the saucer shaped central bodies of the walkers. "He used to klutz his way into it, but this time I think he did it on purpose."

"Are you two coming or what?!" Shego yelled. She was tossing bolt after bolt at another walker, coaxing it into following her. "Or do you want me and Stoppable to become smears on the pavement!?"

"I guess we're the ones who need to get our heads in the game," Kim said in an amused voice.

Kim gave chase to the walker on the left, while Buckaroo took the one on the right. "Upload the program while Shego and Ron have them distracted!" Buckaroo ordered.

_Great minds think alike,_ Kim thought. She landed in the exact center of the saucer and found a slight depression in the dome. She pressed it, causing a panel to slide open, revealing a triangular port. From a pouch on her leg, Kim pulled out a cable that had a USB port on one end, that she plugged into her Kimmunicator, and a triangular adaptor on the other, that went into the walker.

"Okay, Wade," she said as soon as the young genius's face appeared. "Ready to initiate download."

"Downloading now," Wade said.

"Exactly how long is this going to take?"

"We're dealing with alien technology, Kim. The two different codes might not be as compatible as I thought. It could take a few minutes, or a few days." The Kimmunicator beeped as the walker came to a halt. "Done."

The walker Buckaroo landed on was the next to stop, followed by Ron's. Shego vaulted up the legs of her machine, and uploaded the program soon after. "Well, that was only slightly less difficult than getting my son to go to sleep at night," she deadpanned. "Now what?"

"Now we get these back to Drew and my dad," Kim said. "We need to get these things armed and ready to take on the others."

An alarm sounded from the smart phone in Shego's leg pouch. "What now?" She read the message on her phone and her eyes went wide. "Someone just stole the overthruster!"

"How?" Ron asked. "I thought you had that place locked down tighter than Fort Knox!"

"I did," Shego said in an annoyed tone, "but that doesn't work if someone _BLOWS THE PLACE UP!"_

"New plan, Wade," Kim said. "The walkers will go to the Space Center without us, and we'll go check out the Tech Museum. I don't think this is a coincidence."

"This was just a distraction," Buckaroo said, almost to himself.

"You know, I don't remember the Lorwardians being this crafty before," Ron pointed out

"That's because they weren't," Shego said after hitching a ride with Kim. "You think that Lectoid guy's making the plans now?"

Buckaroo nodded in the negative. "No, Ya-ya wasn't that smart, or that patient. The last time he went for the overthruster, it was a frontal assault. The only planning he did was to hit the Institute after business hours." Buckaroo shot ahead of the others. "If someone with this tactical of a mind has the overthruster, then we might be in bigger trouble than we thought."

"I thought the stupid thing didn't work anymore," Shego pointed out.

"That doesn't mean it can't be repaired." Buckaroo growled. "I should have destroyed that damn thing in 1984 when I had the chance."

----

The front of the Middleton Tech Museum had been reduced to flaming rubble. As much as Warpaath liked going in under the radar, sometimes he couldn't resist the allure of gratuitous destruction to achieve his goals. He proudly emerged from the smoke and fire with the overthruster in his hands. He looked down at it, curious about how so primitive a device could be so powerful. "The overthruster is mine, John Ya-ya," he said to the Red Lectroid who was still shackled to the sky cycle.

"Then I'm here to take it back," a voice from above declared.

When Warpaath looked up he saw an older human male in some kind of flight capable uniform. "That device is property of the Banzai Institute," Buckaroo said. "And as a duly designated representative, I must insist that you return it immediately."

"Banzai!" John Ya-ya spat. He sized up his now grey haired foe. "You've deteriorated over the years."

"I'd prefer to think that I'm like a fine wine; I just get better with age." Buckaroo eased off on his jets and came in for a landing. "At least I'm not some kind of a pet."

Ya-ya's eyes narrowed. "Release me, Master, and I will dispatch this ape for you."

Warpaath sneered at the sight before him. "So you are the hated Buckaroo Banzai. I must say, I'm unimpressed."

"I was about to say the same thing about you," a female voice said. Warpaath looked up and saw the flame haired consort of the Great Blue lowering a green skinned woman to the ground.

"Yeah," the green one added, her hands sheathed in green plasma. "You're kinda scrawny, ain't ya? I'll bet the other kids used to pick on you for being so skinny. They probably gave you swirlies, too. Maybe that's why you went bald."

Warpaath ignored the taunts; neither knowing nor caring what a "swirlie" was. He was more interested in this emerald hued female's hands. "Biologically generated plasma," he observed. "Converted from stored solar radiation, I would imagine. Perhaps I'll harvest some of your DNA and try to replicate it."

"You won't get the chance, stringbean!" Shego shot into action, lunging at the green alien and aiming her flaming fist at his jaw. Warpaath quickly and effortlessly dodged the attack, and swept Shego's feet out from under her.

"Really, these displays of violence are pointless," he said.

Kim wasn't buying it. "This coming from a Lorwardian? Sorry, but you people so live for this! That Warhok guy couldn't get enough."

"While it is true that we do live for the thrill of conquest, it is also true that Warhok was nothing but a musclebound simpleton." Warpaath's lips split into an evil grin, exposing teeth that could only be described as fangs. "I am Warpaath, and I am here to finish what my feeble compatriot began."

"What is it with all the 'war' names?" Ron asked as he touched down.

Warpaath growled at the Monkey Master. "At last we meet, Great Blue."

"Wait what?" Ron asked. He looked down at Rufus, who was in the special pouch on Ron's leg. Rufus shrugged. "Uh, dude, maybe you need to get your eyes checked. I'm not so blue. Or so great, for that matter."

"Wait, 'Great Blue' is what Warmonga called Drew," Shego said. "And now you think it's Stoppable?"

Warpaath's cool demeanor vanished as he dropped the overthruster and lunged at Shego, only to get tagged in the chest and knocked back by a low level plasma burst. "You are not worthy to speak Warmonga's name," Warpaath panted as he pulled himself back onto his feet.

"Maybe not, but you're not worthy to have this, either," Kim said, holding up the overthruster.

"Master, the overthruster!" Ya-ya called. In a desperate move, Warpaath tapped a button on his gauntlet, releasing Ya-ya's bonds. The Red Lectroid sprang into action and flew at Kim, only to have Ron's fist meet him halfway, knocking him on his back.

The momentary distraction was all Warpaath needed. He leapt at Kim with amazing speed. She only had enough time to throw the overthruster to Buckaroo before she was captured in Warpaath's vice like grip. "An impressive attack, Great Blue. Even the most skilled Lorwardian conqueror would be hard pressed to match your speed. Now stand down and allow me to depart with the overthruster or something.... unfortunate..... may befall your battle-mate."

Buckaroo saw that Shego was about to strike. He motioned for her to stop. "Let her go, Warpaath."

"The overthruster, Banzai, or the fire haired one becomes my newest trophy."

"You just said the wrong thing, dude." Ron's eyes turned a violent blue, and the sounds of shrieking monkeys filled the air. Rufus sensed what was going on, and bolted from Ron's pocket to find a safer hiding place. Warpaath, meanwhile, tightened his grip on Kim.

"Ron, don't," Buckaroo warned.

Ron could see the determined look in Kim's eyes. "Don't need to, Buckaroo. KP's got this under control."

On cue, Kim extended her legs out in front of her and bent her knees. "Trophy this," she said, driving her feet into Warpaath's nearest knee with all her might. The Lorwardian called out more in surprise than pain, and fell to one knee. But before Kim could vault away, Warpaath's hand shot out and caught her by the throat.

Ron turned blue and prepaired to strike. "At last the Great Blue shows his true colors!" he laughed. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?" Ron growled.

"Because I can snap her neck before you can move." Warpaath tightened his grip, cutting off air and forcing Kim to her knees.

"You son of a-" Shego started to say.

"Insults to my parentage will have no effect on me, green one," Warpaath said calmly. "The choice is yours, Great Blue. The overthruster, or your mate. I doubt even your powers can raise the dead." Warpaath traced his thumb along Kim's jaw. "Just a flick of my wrist is all it will take."

"It's okay, Ron," Buckaroo said. He put the overthruster down at Warpaath's feet. "Let him go. I don't think he's leaving the planet anytime soon."

"Yes, listen to Buckaroo Banzai," Warpaath taunted. "We will have our reckoning soon enough; at a time and place of my choosing. I know your weakness, Great Blue. Your spine will be mounted in a place of honor on my wall." Warpaath grabbed the overthruster, never releasing his grip on Kim's throat.

"Let her go!" Ron yelled.

"I think not," Warpaath replied. "She's much too good a bargaining chip." Warpaath slowly closed his fist, enjoying the power he had over the "Great Blue." He let out an amused chuckle. "It's funny that one as powerful as you has fallen for that cosmic joke called love, Great Blue. Pehapas you are not so great after all." At that moment Warpaath felt something sharp tear into his wrist. With a surprised yelp he released Kim and tried to swat away whatever had dared to bite him.

"Uh oh," a brave mole rat squeaked, barely missing being smashed. Kim gathered Rufus up and quickly ducked out of the way.

"Accursed vermin!" Warpaath yelled. The momentary distraction was enough. He was hit first by a flurry of plasma bursts, then a flying kick from an enraged Monkey Master sent him flying ten feet back.

"You want what Warhok and Warmonga got?" Ron demanded.

"You already killed Warmonga," Warpaath spat. "You will not sully her name by speaking it aloud!"

"Whatcha gonna do if we do?" Shego smirked, her hands aglow with green fire. "We've got my biologically generated plasma, and one seriously tweaked Great Blue. What do you have?"

"What you would call a trump card." Warpaath pressed a button on his gauntlet and pointed towards the museum. "I just activated the detonator for the hypermatter bomb I left in those ruins. Hypermatter emits a rather nasty type of radiation. In five of your minutes, the magnetic field containing that radiation will collapse, releasing a cloud of death that will blanket this city and destroy every living thing in it."

"Hypermatter?" Ron asked, helping Kim to her feet. "That sounds like something from _Space Passage_."

"While I don't know what this _'Space Passage' _is, I do know when I'm being mocked," Warpaath snarled. "We'll see who laughs when the hypermatter radiation reduces every male, female, and child in this city to puddles of goo!" He let a finger drift to his gauntlet control. "Perhaps I'll just collapse the field early and watch the festivities."

"Not so fast!" Shego yelled. She charged her hands and prepared to attack the Lorwardian.

"I'm sure your fire could do serious damage, green one," Warpaath admitted. "But know this; if you incinerate me, the deactivation signal will automatically be sent to the bomb, deactivating the magnetic field and releasing the radioactive cloud. Attack me, and this city will be populated entirely by ghosts!"

"It'll take you out, too," Kim pointed out.

"That would be true, were it not for the personal radiation shield built into my gauntlets," Warpaath sneered. "I will be quite safe, I assure you."

"Not a very honorable tactic," Buckaroo said, trying to figure out a way of getting Warpaath's control gauntlet.

Warpaath sat astride his sky cycle. "Who said anything about honor, Buckaroo Banzai? Only victory matters, and my victory is at hand. The choice is yours. Attempt to stop me, and everyone in this city dies. Or let me go with my prize and save everyone." The look in Buckaroo's eyes gave Warpaath his answer. "Until next time, Buckaroo Banzai. Perhaps I will add your spine to my collection, as well." With that, he engaged the cycle's jets and started to raise to the sky.

"Master!" John Ya-ya called out. "What about me?"

"What about you?" the Lorwardian huffed. "I know that you had no intention of delivering your fellow Red Lectroids to my command. Just as I had no intention of ever setting foot on Planet 10, let alone wasting the resources to conquer it. The overthruster is all that interested me, and now that I have it, I have no more use for you. Farewell, John Ya-ya. May you rot for all eternity in whatever hell your race believes in." Warpaath activated the torture modules in Ya-ya's body, and turned them up to full. Ya-ya's limbs tensed up as his central nervous system was overloaded. "Die well, reptile!" He turned to Ron and Kim. "Another time, Great Blue," he said, right before taking to the sky.

John Ya-ya hit the ground hard as the modules kicked into high gear. Buckaroo was at his side immediately. Thanks to years of friendship with a Black Lectroid named John Parker, Buckaroo had knowledge of Lectroid physiology; he just hoped it was enough. He felt around Ya-ya's throat looking for a pulse; it was weak and erratic. He lowered his face to the Lectroid's blunt snout. "He's hardly breathing." Buckaroo quickly reached into one of the pouches of his utility belt and pulled out a field medical kit. "I only hope this works," he said, pulling out the CPR mask and fittin it over Ya-ya's reptilian face. He then tore off the Kimmunicator and placed it on Ya-ya's chest, activating its defibrillator mode in case the Red Lectroid flat lined. Buckaroo Banzai and John Ya-ya were enemies, but Buckaroo was still a doctor. He had taken an oath to do no harm, and that oath was binding, even if it meant saving the life of a sworn enemy.

"Hey, Nerdlinger!" Shego yelled into her Kimmunicator. "Any way of knowing if that hypermatter bomb is for real?"

"I don't even know what hypermatter is!" Wade replied. "All I know for sure is, there are no energy signatures in there; not even for the magnetic containment field he was talking about."

Shego rolled her eyes in disgust. "Perfect. That means I have to go in there and look for it!"

"Do you even know what a hypermatter bomb looks like?" Wade asked.

"No. Do you?" Shego retorted.

"Not really, no." Wade started typing furiously on his keyboard. "I'm gonna see if I can boost your Kimmunicator's sensitivity to electromagnetic fields."

Shego ran at full speed into the wreckage of the museum. "Great. How do I defuse the stupid thing once I find it?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," was the only answer Wade could give.

While Shego hunted for the bomb and Buckaroo attempted to resusitate his foe, Ron was checking Kim's neck. Rufus had climbed onto Kim's shoulder and was nuzzling her face.

"I'm okay, Ron," Kim said, rubbing her throat. "Just a little light headed." She took Rufus from her shoulder and kissed his head. "My hero."

"Awww," Rufus blushed. "No big."

"He was gonna kill you, KP," Ron said angrily. "It's like he was hiding behind you. That so doesn't make sense! The other two never hid."

"The other two never used these kinds of diversions before, either," Kim said calmly. "We can't treat Warpaath like Warhok. But you're right, Ron; he was using me as a human shield." Kim looked Ron in the eyes. "Did you notice that he hardly threw a punch?"

"I only noticed when he tried to choke you to death," Ron growled.

"That's what I mean," Kim said. "He tripped Shego, grabbed me, and he got me by the throat. That was it! The rest of it was threats and posturing. I think he was either afraid to fight, or didn't know how."

"That dude's got issues," Ron said. "What was up with him going all freak out when someone mentioned Warmonga?"

Kim looked slightly down. "I have my suspicions," she said. _Suspicions that kind of hit close to home._

"That Warpaath guy's devious, I'll give him that!" Shego called from the ruined museum entrance. "There was no bomb. It was just a ploy so we'd let him get away with the overthruster."

"And we fell for it," Ron grumbled.

"We so couldn't take the chance it was a bluff, Ron," Kim said.

"Bluff or not, Warpaath's still a monster," Buckaroo added from John Ya-ya's side. The Red Lectroid was letting out sputtering coughs as Buckaroo turned him on his side. "I almost lost him a few times. We need to get Ya-ya back to the Space Center and see if we can figure out what Warpaath did to him."

"I used to say I was evil," Shego said. "But even at my worst I had nothing on this guy! And now he's got the overthruster."

"At least we still have an advantage there," Buckaroo sighed. "It hasn't worked in well over a decade."

"You think he can fix it?" Ron asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he could, Ron," Buckaroo replied. "He's not like Warhok and Warmonga. They relied on brute force when they attacked, but Warpaath made plans on top of plans. He's smart enough to keep five steps ahead of us, and that makes him dangerous."

"I still don't get it," Shego said. "I mean, I see why lizard lips over there wanted the overthruster. He wanted to get his buddies out and cause trouble. But why does tall, green, and angry want it? I mean, other than going through mountains and opening doors to the 8th Dimension, what value does it have?"

"I don't know, Shego," Buckaroo said, before looking over at John Ya-ya. "But we now have access to inside information."

"What makes you think I'd help you?" the Red Lectroid demanded in a weak voice.

"The chance at payback against the Lorwardian for one," Buckaroo replied.

"And two," Shego added, igniting her plasma powers, "it'll make me very irritated if you don't."

"And you so don't want to get her irritated," Kim added.

Ya-ya could feel the heat from Shego's hands, even though she was still a few feet away from her. Ya-ya swallowed hard. "It would seem that I have no choice but to cooperate."

Shego grinned. "None whatsoever."

----

_Author's Note:_

_The name "Warlorrd" for the Lorwardian leader was suggested by Eddy13, and used with permission. I owe you one, buddy!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_----_

Buckaroo Banzai sat in front of a computer monitor, blankly staring at the schematics for the oscillation overthruster. Buckaroo had intended to look over the designs and see if it was possible to repair the unit, or if someone could reconfigure it into some kind of ultimate doomsday weapon, but his mind couldn't focus on the task at hand. Instead, he thought about all those who had been destroyed by that infernal machine.

Dr. Emilio Lizardo had effectively been killed in 1938 when he pierced the 8th Dimension and had his mind taken over by the Red Lectroid warlord John Whorfin. In 1955, Buckaroo's own parents, Dr. Masado Banzai and Dr. Sandra Willoughby-Banzai, were killed when the overthruster they were testing was sabotaged by the leader of a criminal organization. Then, in 1984, Buckaroo's friend Rawhide was murdered by the Red Lectroids on Earth who were trying to steal Buckaroo's overthruster. All Buckaroo could think was, _I should have destroyed this thing when I had the chance._

"Buckaroo?" A soothing voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Are you all right?"

Buckaroo Banzai smiled when he looked up and saw his former student Anne Possible at the door to the Middelton Space Center's conference room. "Honestly, Anne, I don't know if I'm all right or not." He closed the overthruster file. "What can I do for you?"

A sour look crossed Anne's face. "The people from Global Justice have started questioning John Ya-ya. I know you're not GJ's number one fan, Buckaroo, so why let them look Ya-ya over and interrogate him?"

"It wasn't by choice. GJ autopsied the remains of the Red Lectroids I stopped in 1984, and they have a pretty good track record when it comes to getting information from difficult prisoners. Using that information in an effective manner is another story." Buckaroo sighed and pulled out a chair for Anne. "How are Kim and Ron?"

Realizing that the subject had been changed, Anne took a seat. "Kimmie's fine. Last time I saw her, she was on her way to where John Ya-ya is being questioned. And Ron's sleeping it off right now."

"Sleeping what off?"

"I assume you saw that little glow trick Ron has," Anne said, picking her words carefully.

Buckaroo nodded, remembering the image of Ron in unarmed combat with Warhok and Warmonga. "He changed colors. He didn't glow this time."

"Oh. Then he should be up and around in no time then." Anne saw the confused look on her old teacher's face. "My son-in-law is........ special. That little trick of his takes a lot out of him. The first time he went all out was when he sent the last two Lorwardians flying. He would up sleeping for almost three days after that."

Buckaroo nodded again. "Did the GJ doctors get a chance to give Ya-ya an examination?"

"If you could call it an examination," Anne grumbled. "All they looked for were those implants that made Ya-ya have the seizures that almost killed him."

"They did kill him," Buckaroo said. "I had to recuscitate him more than once."

"Well, all of those things seem to be inert now, including the one in his brain that controlled them all. He seems to be fine, not to mention rude. He keeps calling everyone hairless apes."

"Not surprising," Buckaroo snickered. "Ya-ya was never really all that personable."

"Any idea what this Warpaath person is going to try with the overthruster?"

"No clue," Buckaroo sighed. "Until the mess in 1984, I had no idea that it had interdimensional capabilities. The Lorwardians are a highly advanced civilization. God only knows what kind of a weapon Warpaath could turn the overthruster into."

"But you said it doesn't work anymore."

"Not since the nineties," Buckaroo said. "A stray bullet from our rude friend caused a power backlash that melted the power conduits and fused the phase inducer with the rectifier coil. I'm pretty sure that's what made it open both an interplanetary wormhole and a pan temporal vortex before it shorted out completely. The internal mechanism is a twisted mess! The overthruster could probably be repaired, but I never took the time to do it. By that point, I was done with it. It's caused too much death and destruction." _And now it may cause even more._

----

Warpaath sat in his command throne, looking with disgust at the device he had gone through so much trouble to acquire. _It doesn't work, _he thought. Looking over the interior scans of the oscillation overthruster, Warpaath was actually impressed. Even by Lorwardian standards, this was highly advanced. But then again, if a device couldn't be used as a weapon, or as a means of conquest, it wasn't built. The very thought of phasing through solid matter was a moot point when one could simply destroy whatever was in the way.

_I may have underestimated this Buckaroo Banzai, _Warpaath mused. _If he could create such a device, then h__e could very well be as dangerous as the Great Blue. _He looked over at the overthruster again. _I could capture Banzai and force him to aid me, but he would either refuse, or sabotage the machine. _A deadly smile crossed Warpaath's lips. _At last, an opponent worthy of my guile. _He stole another glance at his new prize. Maybe he could use this situation to his advantage. The inner workings of the machine were hopelessly melted, but maybe that didn't matter. _Perhaps it's time to visit my ship's trophy vault, _he thought. _I seem to recall a device crafted by the inhabitants of Maxis VII that may be of assistance._

_----_

"I will tell you nothing!" the Red Lectroid known as John Ya-ya spat.

"Oh I think you will," Global Justice Chief Agent Will Du sneered. "You see, you have nowhere to go. You either tell us what we want to know, or we lock you up and turn you over to our top scientists to dissect."

"And what's to stop you from doing that even if I do tell you what you want to know?" Ya-ya retorted. "I seriously doubt you'll provide me with the means to return to Planet 10 if you survive Warpaath's final assault. I fully expect to spend the rest of my life as some hairless ape's science fair project! Why should I give you any more help than I already have?"

"What is the final assault?" Du demanded, ignoring the Red Lectroids rather accurate assumption of what his fate would be.

"Go blow it out your-"

"All right, this is getting us nowhere." Shego was getting impatient. "Why don't you give me five minutes alone with our reptilian friend here? I think I can make him talk."

"I don't care what the UN says, Mrs. Lipsky," Du said in a voice dripping with disgust. "You and that blue imbecile you married are still villains in my book."

Shego's eyes narrowed. "You do realize that I still owe you for last year when you broke down my front door and dragged my husband away on bogus charges?"

"We settled with you."

"No, your lawyers settled with my lawyers." Shego's hands erupted in a searing flash of green. "I haven't even started getting my pound of flesh from you yet."

"That's enough, Mrs. Lipsky," an authoritative voice from the door said. "Chief Agent Du, stand down."

"She threatened a GJ agent while he was in the process of interrogating a prisoner, Dr. Director," Du protested. "She should be locked up right beside him."

"Just try it, skippy," Shego threatened before feeling a hand on her shoulder.

"Sheila, it's okay," Kim Stoppable said. "Du's not worth it."

The chief agent gave Kim a dirty look. "I almost thought you had gotten smart, Miss Possible. True you were a rookie, but you were on your way to becoming a professional; maybe even another top agent. Instead, you went right back to being an amateur after Fast Track folded."

"It's Mrs. Stoppable now, Will," Kim growled. "And I do more good being an amateur than I would if I was turned into a clone of you."

"I said that's enough!" Dr. Director shouted. "Mr. Ya-ya, I am authorized to offer you asylum on Earth in exchange for your cooperation."

"Cooperation that even you admitted you had no choice but to give us, I might add," Shego said, conjuring a plasma ball on her right index finger. "So why don't you just spill it before I follow that old song's advice about fresh barbecued iguana!"

"It's obvious that Warpaath treated you like dirt," Kim said, playing the good cop to Shego's bad cop. "Why not just help us so we can bring him down?"

"If he learns that I helped you, he'll kill me in an even more painful way than he did at the Tech Museum, and in such a way that there won't be enough left of me to revive! I have no desire to die by his hands again."

At that moment Buckaroo Banzai and Anne Possible entered the room. "I think we can come to an understanding, John. Your former jailer isn't as invincible as he would have you believe. We've either disabled or captured over half of the walker fleet that landed on the North and South American continents, and our allies overseas are following suit. As for your situation, I'm going to wager a guess that our friends from Global Justice neglected to inform you that those torture devices you were implanted with are offline." Had Ya-ya possessed eyebrows, he would have raised one. Will Du, meanwhile, was scowling. That was a piece of information he didn't want divulged. "We can stop him. And after that, you'll be free to go, as long as you stay out of trouble. I give you my word."

John Ya-ya leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. "I have a demand to make, Banzai. I want to be there when you bring that green conniver to his knees."

"Unacceptable," Du said in a superior tone.

"If that's what you want, Mr. Ya-ya," Dr. Director said, overriding the chief agent.

"What!?" Du shrieked. "Dr. Director, you can't be serious."

Buckaroo nodded. "Okay, John. You can come with us when we face Warpaath again, in exchange for any information we want."

John Ya-ya bared his teeth in the Red Lectroid equivalent of a smile. "Well then, Banzai, let us talk. We'll discuss my former master, and the one he calls the Great Blue."

----

Warpaath watched with satisfaction as the manufacturing plant deep in the heart of his ship assembled his new weapon. On a table in front of him sat the overthruster. Above it was a monitor screen that showed its innards. The internal mechanism had been nothing but a jumbled mass of mishapen metal and plastic, but now the image on the screen was becoming clearer, as if somehow the various components were regenerating. Warpaath looked over at the device the overthruster was resting in. A series of orange lasers were tracing the outlines and contours of the overthruster's interior and exterior, seemingly turning back the clock and restoring the overthruster to a functional state.

_Why go to Banzai to repair this device when I have machines that can do the job for me? _Warpaath again gazed into his ship's factory. _Not only will it be rebuilt, but it will be incorporated into a new class of weapon. I can use this one template to manufacture an entire arsenal of overthruster powered artillery!_ Warpaath's grin turned into a feral sneer. _Very soon, Great Blue, your pelt will be mine, your world will be nothing but a burned out husk, and all of Lorwardia will be bowing down before me! _

Warpaath turned his attention to a live feed of the Banzai Institute from one of his watchers. Banzai's people were installing new weapons on the walkers they had captured. _While I wait, I think I'll teach these humans what happens to stolen Lorwardian technology._

----

A short time later, Kim, Shego and Buckaroo had taken John Ya-ya to the conference room, and were joined by Drew Lipsky and a not quite awake Ron Stoppable. He had only just woken up from his honor nap and was nursing his first cup of coffee. "Are you sure this isn't decaf?" he asked his naked mole rat Rufus, who had found and poured the coffee.

Rufus shrugged and squeaked, "I dunno."

"Well, was it in an orange pot?"

"Color blind," Rufus said.

"Right. You're color blind. Hey, KP, is this decaf?"

"Ron, honey, I know you just woke up, but I need you to get your head in the game, okay?" Kim took the mug from him and had a taste. "And yes, this is decaf. Really bad decaf."

"If you yammering primates are done," John Ya-ya said in an annoyed tone. He looked at Ron with disdain. "How Warpaath believes one such as this is the Great Blue, I'll never know."

"Neither will I," Drew grumbled. "I was the Great Blue! How come the Buffoon is now?"

"Sorry, Drew," Shego said from the other side of the room, "but you didn't stop two nine foot tall aliens unarmed and all by yourself. That seems pretty great."

"What exactly is the 'Great Blue' anyway?" Buckaroo asked. Drew answered before Ya-ya could.

"He's some sort of ultimate warrior from Lorwardian legend," he began. "Warmonga said that the Great Blue would reach out from across the stars and lead the Lorwardians into victory. She thought it was me because of the time I was on _American Star Maker _to plug my mind control shampoo."

"That was epic fail," Shego muttered under her breath.

"I know you're in uniform again, Shego, but must you mock me at every turn and give me lip!?"

"Sorry, honey," Shego said with a genuine smile. "It's just, you're so easy to mock. Not to mention..." she sauntered over to Drew and put her arms around him, "you look _really_ _sexy _when you get all flustered like that, and you _like _it when I give you lip." Shego brought her lips to Drew's.

Kim let out a gagging sound. "Time and place, you two."

"Like you and the Buffoon are any different?" Shego retorted without breaking eye contact with her husband.

"But why think I'm the Great Blue?" Ron asked. "I mean, I'm not blue!"

"You turn blue when you go full monkey," Kim suggested.

"Sometimes you glow blue, too," Shego added.

"But I didn't reach out from across the stars!"

"In a way, Ron, you did," Buckaroo said. "That last transmission from Warhok's ship showed you in battle and glowing blue. I'd say you just met the second criteria."

"But what about the third?" Kim asked. "I mean, Ron's so not intergalactic conquerer material."

"Attitudinator anyone?" Shego said. "Flip his brains and he's as bad as they come."

Ron swallowed hard. "I guess it's a good thing that Wade infected all the Attitudinators with a computer virus that makes the user sing show tunes. I don't want to go bad again."

Buckaroo stood in silent thought for a moment. "The question is, why does Warpaath want to destroy this legendary figure who is supposed to bring victory in battle? It just doesn't make sense."

"If you'll let me continue," Ya-ya hissed. "Warpaath wants this one dead for two reasons. The first is because it would make him feared back home. Anyone who could destroy the famed Great Blue is no one to trifle with. The second has to do with the female called Warmonga."

_I had a feeling about that, _Kim thought to herself.

"My former master and this female knew each other since childhood," Ya-ya continued. "They were inseparable."

"Reminds me of a couple of people," Shego smirked. Kim didn't reply; she just took Ron's hand and held it tightly.

"But one day, she met another young warrior called Warhok. He was sort of an alpha male type." Ya-ya snorted. "Warmonga was putty in his hands. She left Warpaath high and dry because of it. She even joined Warhok and all the others in ridiculing him because of his thinner build."

Buckaroo started pacing the floor. "That answers my other question. Warpaath's not as physically imposing as Warhok was. It sounds like Warpaath is small for a Lorwardian."

"The small theory would explain his lack of fighting skills," Kim said.

"Don't forget that we had him seriously outnumbered, Kim," Buckaroo added. "Warpaath's smart. He knew he couldn't fight his way out, so he thought his way out instead. That doesn't mean he can't fight. It just means he chooses to use his brain instead of his fists."

"He's had to hone his mind into a deadly weapon," Ya-ya said. "Physically, Warpaath was no match for his peers. But mentally, he is unrivaled. He has plots on top of plots that are almost impossible to keep up with. He is hated because of this. He is seen as weak, but he is almost second to none when it comes to conquest. I lived on Lorwardia for several years. Emperor Warlorrd always hated giving Warpaath commendations for successful invasions! It was unheard of for what they considered an inferior physical specimen to be that proficient at the art of war."

"You see? Warlorrd is another war name!" Ron exclaimed. "What is up with all the war names?"

"They are a warrior culture, you imbecile!" Ya-ya said with a growl. "They live for combat and conquest. And Warpaath has decided to go after the most dangerous conquest of all; Lorwardia itself. And with it, the entire Lorwardian Empire."

Buckaroo snapped his fingers. "That explains why he wants the overthruster!"

"It does?" Drew asked, clearly perplexed. "How?"

"Buckaroo's right," Kim agreed. "The Black Lectroids used the 8th Dimension as a place to put their war criminals." John Ya-ya growled at Kim's assessment of his people.

"And the overthruster is the key to the 8th Dimension." Buckaroo gave Kim a smile. "Great minds think alike, Kim. Warpaath is going to use the overthruster to imprison his enemies in the 8th Dimension when he goes to conquer Lorwardia."

"I get it now," Shego said. "These guys have to live by some kind of warrior code. Being taken prisoner is probably a huge disgrace to them_._"

"And the 8th Dimension is the ultimate prison," Buckaroo added. "There's only one way in, and no way out. He can keep the whole population in line with just that threat. He'll hardly have to lift a finger. This is all makes perfect sense."

Ron was scratching his head. "Not all of it. There's still the way he'd freak whenever someone mentioned Warmonga's name. I get they were buds and she stabbed him in the back, but why would he freak like that?"

Kim looked down. "I have an idea about that, but I'd like to get some more facts before I go with it."

Dr. Director, who was leaning against a far wall in the room, had been listening quietly to the exchange. "I don't think that's a good idea, Kim. If you have intel on Warpaath, we need to know what it is."

Buckaroo let out an annoyed grunt. "Like you people know what to do with good intel."

"Is there a problem, Dr. Banzai?"

"Yes, Dr. Director, there is." Buckaroo stormed across the room and got in the director's face. "I can sum it up in three letters. WCL."

"The World Crime League has nothing to do with this, Banzai," Dr. Director hissed.

"The hell it doesn't! They were a worse threat than the Worldwide Evil Empire coud ever hope to be, and you people ignored all my warnings about them. You dismissed me as just another person out for revenge!"

"Okay, I came in during the middle of this movie," Shego said, "so would someone like to fill me in on what the hissy fit's all about?"

"The World Crime League was the biggest criminal alliance in recorded history, Shego," Buckaroo said, the anger still thick in his voice. "Their leader is the one who sabotaged the overthruster my parents were testing back in 1955 and killed them!"

"That last skirmish you had with them in 1995 was during my predecessor's tenure, Dr. Banzai. I had nothing to do with how the World Crime League was handled."

"That's because they were 'handled' by me and my team, Betty, not GJ!" Buckaroo snarled. "And when you took over, what did you do? You dedicated more time and personnel into going after the Worldwide Evil Empire in just one year than was sent after the World Crime League the entire time they were at large, and all because their leader just happened to be your twin brother!"

"You're out of line, Banzai."

"No, Betty, you're the one who's out of line! You've let your little sibling rivalry run your life and influence almost every decision you've made as the head of Global Justice. Why is it that you couldn't respond to Diablo Night, or the first invasion? Could it be that the hunt for your brother has spread your resources too thin for you to be effective at anything else? Or could it have something to do with the fact that your organization is so bureaucratically top heavy that you can't decide on where to go for lunch without having to go through a committee? No wonder you've had to rely so heavily on Kim and Ron. Just like your predecessor did with me."

Both Buckaroo and Betty stood nose to nose for what seemed like an eternity. "I'm here now, Buckaroo," Betty finally said. "I admit it, mistakes were made. A lot of mistakes have been made, but I'm here now. Like it or not, you need Global Justice as much as we need you." Buckaroo sighed and stepped back. "We don't have to like each other to work together, Dr. Banzai."

"Fortunately for us," Buckaroo muttered.

"Now, Kim," Dr. Director said, "please tell us what your theory is."

Kim took a deep breath. "Shego was right when she said Warpaath's sitch was like Ron and me." She turned and looked at her husband, and gently caressed his cheek. "Warpaath is what I'm afraid you could have become, Ron."

"I could never be like him, KP, you know that."

"Ron, just listen to me, please and thank you. What if I had stayed with Josh, of if Erik had been real and I turned my back on you? Lord knows I did some pretty stupid things over the years. Like the supply closet sitch at the spirit dance, going on a date with Josh when I was in danger of blushing myself do death, and asking you to have your mom take me and Walter Nelson to the orthodontist when we locked braces. Even though things worked out for us, I still can't help but wonder what could have happened; the 'what if's.'" Kim sighed and closed her eyes. "I've been fighting with those 'what if's' for over three years now; ever since Diablo Night. Erik could just as easily have been real. Or I could have shut you out when you came clean about how you feel about me. And then what?"

Kim and Ron didn't see it, but both Drew and Shego had hung their heads in shame. Neither one of them was looking forward to the day that they had to tell their son about their villainous past, or about what they had put his godparents through.

"Bottom line, Warmonga didn't give him a chance," Kim continued. "And she betrayed him. That's why Warpaath goes all freak whenever anyone mentions her." Kim closed her eyes. "I could have done the same thing to you, Ron."

Buckaroo put a hand on Kim's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up over what might have been, Kim, you'll only make yourself crazy. Besides, I think you're selling yourself short. If you were that shallow, you wouldn't go out of your way to help people. Getting back to the business at hand, I think you may be right about our alien friend. We might be able to use this against him. We almost got the upper hand when he lost it the first time, but he was quick enough on his feet to recover before we could press the advantage. Now that we know why, we can get in his head and keep him off balance."

Before anything else could be said, the four alarm tones of the Kimmunicator cried out. "What's the sitch, Wade?"

"Big trouble, Kim!" Wade exclaimed. "Warpaath's ship is on the move! He just shot out of the ocean at high speed! He must be halfway to the Moon by now."

"Is it too much to hope that he's gonna just leave us alone now that he has the thruster thingie?" Ron asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"That's weird," Wade said, almost to himself. "He left something behind when he took off. I think it's a drone. It's emitting some kind of rapidly expanding energy field!"

"What kind of energy?" Buckaroo asked, running to the nearest computer terminal.

"I don't know!" Wade frantically replied. "It's nothing I've seen before. This is really odd. It doesn't seem to be doing anything." Just then, a series of loud crashes rumbled through the Space Center and shook the walls. "Uh oh. I think I spoke too soon."

James Possible burst through the doors to the conference room. "The walkers are disintigrating!"

"Buckaroo, I've got a Sidney Zweibel from the Banzai Institute on the line!" Wade said.

Buckaroo pulled out his own Kimmunicator. "Put him through." The image of a man in a red shirt and a cowboy hat appeared on the small screen. "Let me guess, New Jersey," Buckaroo said, referring to his fellow neurosurgeon by his Hong Kong Cavalier nickname, "all the walkers are disintigrating."

"Disitigrating nothing!" New Jersey replied. "They just turned to dust! The pollinator system and the upload arms came crashing though them. You'll need to ask Mr. Lipsky how to kill those mutant plants of his. When the mutagen tanks ruptured, the stuff got all over ther place. We're not an Ive League institute, but the main hall is covered in aggressive mutant ivy now. I think they're trying to crush the building."

"I'll get on the super weed killer," Drew grumbled.

"But it's not just the walkers, Buckaroo," New Jersey continued. "Perfect Tommy just came from the warehouse. He said the wreckage we have from the first Lorwardian ship did the same thing."

"I've got reports from all over the world of the walkers crumbling," Wade reported. "And I just got a message from General Simms that the Lorwardian wreckage at Area 51 dissolved!" Wade's fingers shot at lightning speed across his keyboard. "Even the drone is gone now. That energy field must have interracted with something in the molecular structure of the material the Lorwardian hardware is made of!"

"That explains why Warpaath got out of town," Buckaroo said angrily. "His ship would've fallen apart, too. We should've guessed that he could remotely trigger the self destruct systems! All that effort was for nothing! New Jersey, get the troops together and get to the bunker. Things are going to get ugly."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," Buckaroo replied. "We've just been thrown back to square one. I'll keep you posted, Jersey. Banzai out."

"Well, now what?" Kim asked uneasily.

"I can take him," Ron said darkly.

Kim's eyes shot open. "No, Ron!"

"KP, I know I can take him."

"And what if you have to go to extreme measures to stop him?" Kim's face softened. "That almost destroyed you last time, baby. And I wasn't there to help you because I was off with Fast Track."

"You're here now," Ron pointed out. "And, y'know, last time it was something I couldn't avoid. I think I can this time."

Shego wasn't buying it. "That would be a good plan if not for the fact that the not so Jolly Green Giant is out gunning for you!" She stormed up to Ron and got in his face. "Warpaath wants a showdown with you! We've got no weapons and no plan, while he's got the overthruster and a serious desire to fillet you! If you think I'm just gonna let you go out there and get skinned...."

"Why, Sheila," Ron said with an exaggerated sniff, "I didn't know you cared."

"Of course I care, you idiot! You think I made you my son's godfather because of your good looks? Which, by the way, you don't have."

Dr. Director was studying the screen of her PDA. "I can have half a dozen GJ platoons here within the hour, Dr. Banzai."

"An hour's gonna be too late," Wade said in a frantic voice. "Now that the energy field has dissipated, Warpaath's ship is reentering the atmosphere. He's heading for downtown Middleton; right to where Ron stopped Warhok and Warmonga. He'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"That's it then," Buckaroo said. "This is the fight he wanted." He walked over to Ron and put a hand on his shoulder. "It looks like you may be our last chance, son."

Kim steadied herself. "No. There's another way to do this. I have an idea." Kim ran towards the confernece room door.

"KP? Where are you going?"

"To get my battle suit from the Sloth. Like I said, I have an idea!" _I just hope it doesn't blow up in my face._

----

Warpaath's ship hovered above the Middleton skyline. He flew by sky cycle from his ship to the ground below to await his prey. He made no effort to conceal his return, and thus knew that Banzai and the Great Blue would come to him. Warpaath smiled as he felt the weight of the new battle harness he was wearing. A device that looked like the barrel of a ray gun was now attached to his left gauntlet, with power conduits running to the silver disc shaped device on his chest; the newly restored oscillation overthruster in a brand new armored casing. Warpaath was ready.

----

Kim had finished zipping up her white and blue battle suit in her father's office when there was a knock at the door. "KP? You still in here?"

"Come in, Ron." Kim was in Ron's arms with her tongue his mouth as soon as he walked through the door. "Booyah," she said, breaking the kiss.

"That was beyond booyah," Ron said in a dreamy voice. "But what was it for?"

"Because I love you. No matter what happens today, I love you and I always will." She put her hand over Ron's heart. "Out there, in here. That goes for me, too."

That's when Ron noticed Kim wasn't wearing her gloves yet, and that she still had her wedding band and engagement ring on. "You don't wear these in the field, KP," he said, knowing Kim's fear of them being lost, destroyed, or stolen by villains. He normally didn't wear his ring on missions, either.

"Wade reinforced the glove to protect them," Kim said. "Besides, I kind of like wearing them."

Ron pulled off his left glove, revealing his own wedding ring. "Me, too." Ron pulled Kim back into his arms and held her tightly. "I love you, Kim." They stood in silence.

A knock at the door pulled the couple out of the moment. "Kim, Ron, it's time to go," Buckaroo Banzai said.

Kim went into mission mode. "Right. Let's do it." She put her gloves on and called Wade on her suit's Kimmunicator. "Is the battle suit's new holo-projector app ready?"

"I just uploaded the configuration to your suit's on board computer, Kim."

"You rock, Wade." Kim's eyes narrowed. "All right, let's go."

----

Warpaath could only smirk when the modified Roth SL coup screeched to a halt five feet from him. "Welcome, Great Blue. Welcome to your end! And to you, Buckaroo Banzai, I offer my thanks. Your overthruster will be remembered as the most powerful weapon in Lorwardian history."

Buckaroo glared at the eight foot tall alien, taking special note of the silver disc on Warpaath's chest plate. Even though it had a new outer shell, Buckaroo immediately recognized the overthruster. "That device was never intended to be a weapon! It was meant to further the cause of science!"

"Ah, but to a Lorwardian, there is no higher science than the development of new weapons. And this one will allow me to bring the entire galaxy to its knees."

"You're awfully confident for a guy who's about to get his biscuit kicked all the back to Lorwardia," Kim snarled.

"Your temperment is the same color as your hair," the Lorwardian chuckled. "You amuse me, fiery one. It's a pity I have to destroy you. You would have made an excellent pet."

"Replacing me already, Master?" another voice asked. John Ya-ya slowly emerged from a black car that pulled up behind the Sloth. Next to him was Dr. Betty Director, her sidearm drawn.

"John Ya-ya," Warpaath said with disgust. "Didn't I kill you already?"

"I just keep coming back," the Red Lectoid snarled. He winced when he saw Warpaath press the button on his gauntlet to activate the punishment modules. Ya-ya visibly relaxed when nothing happened.

"I guess you did die," the Lorwardian said nonchalantly. "The modules are designed to shut down when the heart stops." Warpaath cracked his knuckles. "I'll just have to kill you with my bare hands this time!"

Dr. Director fired a shot at Warpaath's feet when he started to move. "Not so fast!" she warned. "On behalf of Global Justice and the United Nations, I must request that you get off our planet, or face the consequences."

Emerald flame erupted around Shego's hands. "And we're the consequences."

Ron's eyes started glowing a violent blue. "Trust me, war dude, you so don't want to tangle with us." Ron saw the bloodlust in Warpaath's eyes, and was glad that he left Rufus back at the Space Center.

Warpaath could only laugh at the show of force against him. _They still think they can overpower me. They have learned nothing! This will be too easy._

Kim saw the look of supreme confidence on Warpaath's face. _He thinks we're just gonna attack. I hope I'm right about this. _Kim took a cleansing breath and went into a fighting stance. "All right, Warpaath, let's dance!"

----

_Author's Note:_

_Again, big thanks to Eddy13 for letting me use the name "Warlorrd" for the Lorwardian ruler. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Kim Possible and all related characters are the property of Disney. Buckaroo Banzai and all related characters are the property of Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter._

_----_

It was a classic stand off; all that was missing was the obligatory tumbleweed. Warpaath stood before his sky cycle, patiently waiting for his prey to make the first move. Ron Stoppable, Shego, and Buckaroo Banzai were waiting for Kim Stoppable's signal, while Dr. Betty Director covered them. In nearby alleys and behind building were Will Du and a team of four sharpshooters, training their immobilizer rifles on the Lorwardian and waiting for the moment when they could fire.

Kim Stoppable was wrestling with herself. She knew what it was like to have her emotions toyed with, but she realized that this was their best chance of stopping this guy. She'd had Wade upload a new application to her battle suit that would allow it project holographic images. She hoped that the image she chose would throw Warpaath off just long enough for Ron and Shego to subdue him. It was a good plan, but one that didn't take an impatient Red Lectoid into consideration.

"This is taking too long!" John Ya-ya practically screamed.

"Impatient as always, I see." Warpaath calmly approached his former pet. "Tell me, John Ya-ya, why did you come here today? Was it for some form of vengeance? Or did you wish for me to put you out of your misery once and for all?"

"As the humans would say, I want my pound of flesh, Warpaath!" Ya-ya proudly announced. "You are going to pay for all the years of abuse I suffered at your hands."

"Stay out of this, Ya-ya," Dr. Director warned, catching Warpaath's attention.

"Ah, and who is this proud warrior?" Warpaath asked, impressed with Dr. Director's boldness. "The loss of your eye must have been from quite the battle. You wear the scar proudly."

"You should see what I did to the other guy," Dr. Director remarked. "I'm Dr. Elizabeth Director, head of Global Justice. I'll only warn you one more time, Warpaath; get off this planet."

"Or face the consequences," Warpaath said, repeating her past warning in a mocking tone. "I've heard it all before Dr. Elizabeth Director, head of Global Justice." He turned and sneered at the Red Lectroid. Warpaath pulled a spare blaster from his belt and tossed it at John Ya-ya. "Since you are so eager to end my life, Ya-ya, I give you that opporunity." Warpaath stood before his former captive and opened his arms wide. "I believe the human phrase is, take your best shot!"

Ya-ya did just that; yelling out years of frustrations as he shot energy blast after energy blast at the Lorwardian. He missed, forcing Buckaroo and Ron to scatter while Kim and Shego took shelter within Kim's battle suit shield bubble. But when Ya-ya was right on target, the blaster wouldn't discharge, no matter how hard he pulled the trigger.

"You programmed this not to fire on you." Ya-ya stated as he threw the weapon to the ground.

"Yes, " Warpaath replied simply. "I designed that wepaon myself. If it is aimed at me, the recognition sensors disable the firing mechanism. Call it a precaution against one such as you stealing my sidearm from me. Actually, I built that feature into all my weapons."

"You always have an angle, don't you?" Ya-ya said.

"It has served me well over the years. I was going to kill you, John Ya-ya, but I've decided that death is too good for you. I have a much better idea." Warpaath pressed a button on his gauntlet, charging up his chest mounted overthruster. The blaster assembly on Warpaath's left arm started to glow and hum as he pointed it at the Red Lectroid. "Have you ever heard of Maxis VII? It was a world of nothing but intelligent machines. The first planet I ever conquered. The inhabitants had this device called an extrapolation scanner. It could scan any damaged machine, and no matter how mangled it was, it could somehow regenerate the circuits, servo motors, and armor plating. It was their method of self repair. I claimed it as a trophy before I reduced them all to scrap metal."

"So?" Ya-ya spat.

"I used it on the overthruster, which is now fully functional and wired into my arm blaster. Have fun in the 8th Dimension." Warpaath pushed the trigger button in his glove, sending a pulse of electric red light at John Ya-ya. The pulse hit him, and Ya-ya screamed. His body glowed red and his image faded, replaced with a silhouette of the Red Lectroid that contained the maelstrom of the 8th Dimension. Within seconds, that too faded. John Ya-ya was gone; banished to the prison he had been so desperate to liberate his comrades from.

"Anyone else want to follow him to eternal imprisonment?" Warpaath smugly asked.

It was all Buckaroo Banzai could do to keep from attacking. "You've taken the life's work of a great man and perverted it into a weapon of war!" he said in a voice dripping with rage. "Dr. Hikita never intened for the overthruster to be used like that!"

"Then this Dr. Hikita you so revere was not that great of a man, Buckaroo Banzai," Warpaath gloated. "Had he been as great as you say, he would have made this into a much better weapon than I did. You and your world will pay for his shortsightedness."

Shego glanced over at Kim. _Princess, if you're gonna do this, do it now. _The green skinned former villain closed her eyes and thought of her family_._ For their sakes, her son especially, she hoped that this plan didn't backfire_._

"It doesn't have to go down like this, dude," Ron said, getting Warpaath's attention.

"Sharpshooters, standby," Dr. Director discretely said into her comm link.

Warpaath wasn't backing down. "Oh, but it does, Great Blue. You see, you will legitimize me when I ovethrow the emperor. Besides, you killed an old friend of mine."

"You mean me, Warpaath?" a female voice from behind him asked. Warpaath's yellow eyes widened in recognition. Trembling, he looked behind him, to see the face of one he never thought he'd see again.

"Warmonga?"

"Hello, Warpaath." The response was clipped and monotone. It had no emotion whatsoever. Not surprising, since her dialogue had been clipped together from recordings Wade had gotten from the Kimmunicator.

"H-how is this possible? I saw you perish at the hands of this human filth!" There was no reply from Warmonga. "Why won't you answer me, old friend? Warhok is not here, so there is no reason for you to ignore me! Warmonga, please answer me!" He was breathing heavier now, almost hyperventalating. "How I have missed you, Warmonga." He reached out to touch his childhood companion when the hot searing pain of Shego's plasma blasts washed over his back and knocked him forward, through the image of the woman he had been pleading to. "Warmonga" faded into nothing.

Kim Stoppable stood with her arms in front of her. The gloves of her battle suit had morphed into a pair of hologram projectors. She let out an audible sigh of relief when Warpaath went down. This relief was short lived as Warpaath recovered quicker than expected. He rolled onto his back and, with a feral growl, leapt back onto his feet. The Monkey Master was right there waiting for him. Ron grabbed Warpaath by the shoulders and threw him out into the open. "Don't move, war dude," Ron said, giving Dr. Director the signal she was waiting for.

"NOW!" she barked. From five different directions came strands of titanium reinforced steel cable that wrapped around the alien, covering him from shoulders to ankles, but leaving the overthruster on Warpaath's chest accessible. The cables detatched from the rifles that fired them and adhered to the coils of steel that now covered Warpaath. From their hiding places came five Global Justice agents with immobilzer rifles. Will Du, who was leading these agents, looked especially smug. "Good job, men," the chief agent gloated. "One would be alien conqueror ready for delivery to Area 51."

"How dare you?" the outraged Lorwardian demanded. "How _DARE YOU!? _You denied her a victorious death, you've demeaned her name by speaking it, _AND NOW YOU STEAL HER VERY SELF!? I'LL RIP YOU APART FOR THIS INSULT! I'LL GRIND YOUR BONES TO POWDER!"_

"I know your weakness, Warpaath," Kim said in a sad voice. "I know why you say love is a joke." A smaller hologram projector formed from Kim's glove and projected Warmonga's image in front of her. "It's because you loved her. You loved her and she rejected you. You were the dependable lifelong best friend, but she dropped you the moment a golden hottie came along. Then she did something that was so much worse. She betrayed you." Kim turned off the hologram. "What she did to you was beyond sick and wrong. It was a sign of her own selfishness. There's no reason to keep fighting us, Warpaath. It's over."

"I am a Lorwardian," Warpaath growled, still struggling against his bonds. "I am battle incarnate! I will never stop fighting!"

Kim ignored this statement. "I am so sorry, Warpaath. I didn't want to do this to you; to toy with your emotions like this. I know what it's like to have your heart used against you."

"Then you know why love is a joke," Warpaath said in a low voice. "I almost started to respect you, fiery one. You found an advantage and exploited it. Then you had to show your own weakness by apologizing. This is war, child. There are no apologies in war!"

Will Du, meanwhile, was standing beside Dr. Director, admiring his handy work. "Misison accoplished," he said in a voice loud enough for Kim to hear. "You see, Mrs. Stoppable, this is how professionals do it."

"Yeah," Shego snorted, "you wait for us to do all the hard work, then you swoop in and take all the glory. Whoopee for you. Maybe if you're a good boy and you eat all your veggies, we'll give you a parade."

"There's no need to talk to me like I'm a child, Shego," the chief agent said in a threatening tone of voice.

"Then stop acting like one," the former villain snorted. "My little boy's more mature than you are, and he's still in diapers."

"You have not won," Warpaath growled, straining as he fought the metal cables holding him. "_YOU HAVE NOT WON!"_ Warpaath screamed to the heavens as he pushed against his bonds.

Buckaroo, who was about to sedate Warpaath for transport, saw the restraints start to fray. "He's getting loose! Take cover!"

Everyone scattered as Warpaath broke free, lest they be torn to shreds by the metal tendrils that were whipping wildly around. Even though he was small for his kind, Warpaath was strong; much stronger than even Hego. They had underestimated Warpaath's physical strength, and it would cost them dearly. "You took a gamble, fiery one! It is a gamble you have lost! _NOW YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS OUTRAGE WITH YOUR PATHETIC LIFE!!!!!!_"

"Sharpshooters regroup!" Du ordered.

"All right, boys, listen up!" Dr. Director yelled. "This has become an extreme situation. Switch to live ammo! Lethal force is authorized against the alien! Spread out and take aim!"

The sharpshooters fell back to a better vantage point, switched to their laser rifles, and prepared to fire.

"I think not!" Warpaath snarled as he punched a series of buttons on his gauntlet. From far overhead shot a yellow beam from the Lorwardian ship. It created a barrier that cut Global Justice off from Buckaroo, Shego, and Team Possible. "I will deal with you soon enough, my dear Elizabeth! But for now, stay out of this! My wrath is for the Great Blue and his flame haired consort."

"Fire!" Du ordered. The sharpshooters fired off a quick round of laser pulses that bounced off the barrier, forcing the agents to take cover "Dr. Director, you need to call in an air strike," Du said after it became clear to him that they couldn't shoot their way through the barrier. "We need to take out that ship!"

"Negative, Du!"

"It's the only choice we have!" he insisted. "We fall back to a safe location, and then call in the big guns."

"I said no, Will!" Dr. Director yelled. "Our nearest hover jet squadron is over an hour away! They won't get here in time; something you would know had you paid attention during the mission briefing instead of lecturing Kim!"

"Ma'am," one of the sharpshooters said. "I suggest we look for higher ground. The barrier isn't all encompassing. If we take position on the higher rooftops, we might be able to drop him!"

Dr. Director smiled at the gunman. "Good thinking, Agent Larson." She looked over at Du and the others. "You heard the man! Pick a building!"

"I am the chief agent here, Dr. Director," Du snarled. "Agent Larson is under my command and I feel I should get a say in this!"

"Well I'm the director of Global Justice, and you're under _MY _command," Dr. Director replied. "Keep this up, Du, and I'll bust you to janitor for insubordination. You heard the order, _Chief Agent._ Carry it out!"

"Dr. Director, wait!" Buckaroo called, running up to the barrier. "I know your guys are good shots, but I've seen what happens when a stray bullet hits the overthruster, and I'm pretty sure a stray laser pulse will do the same thing. Trust me when I say that trips through a pan temporal vortex are not fun! We can handle this! We need your people to get aboard that ship! According to Kim and Ron, there's an off switch in the main engine room. Hit that switch and you'll bring the barrier down along with the ship."

"Off switch?" Du asked incredulously. "Do you really expect us to believe that?"

"He does because it's true, Du," Dr. Director said, having read ther reports on the Lorwardian power systems. "All right, boys, new plan! Larson, I want you to stay here and go with your original idea, just in case. Morgan, Du, and Cole; you three are with me. Get to get to the hover transport and prep it for immediate take off! We have a ship to board. Let's move it, people!"

Within the barrier, the battle had resumed. Warpaath lunged at Kim, only to have his feet knocked out from under him by Ron Stoppable. "You wanted a piece fo me before, dude." Ron called forth the full intensity of the Mystical Monkey Power, sheathing himself in a monkey shaped blue aura. "Well come and get it."

Warpaath saw that glowing blue visage and snapped. Forgotten were his plans and back up plans. Gone was his cool demeanor. Now there was only rage. "I will do to you what you did to the woman I loved!" Warpaath charged at Ron and grabbed his arm. With all his might, Warpaath swung Ron, only to have the Monkey Master grab his shoulder and bring him along for the ride. Ron made a perfect landing, swung the Lorwardian around a few times, and then threw Warpaath ten feet straight up into the air. Ron leapt after him, and his fist caught the Lorwardian in the midsection when Warpaath started to fall. Ron floated slowly to the ground as Warpaath hit the street with a sickening thud.

"I don't wanna do this," Ron said as Warpaath slowly staggered to his feet. "Warmonga and Warhok didn't give me a choice. Don't go out the same way."

"Give me the overthruster, get in your ship, and leave," Buckaroo said. "Too many people have died because of that thing."

Warpaath fought to control his rage. _That's twice that they have used my emotions against me. No more. It's time to end this. I still have one more option at my disposal. _He looked down at the now cracked armored shell of the oscillation overthruster and sneered. "You want this so badly, Buckaroo Banzai? Then you may have it." Warpaath tore the device from his chest plate. "Normally I would destroy this rather than return it, but that is what you plan to do with it. Instead I shall do this!" He pressed a button on the side of the shell, causing the overthruster to hum and spark. "I added a self destruct mechanism to your overthruster. It's just a simple power booster that will triple the power cell's output. Of course, the dampening buffers won't be able to contain that much energy. I don't know what will happen when the overthruster explodes, but I'm betting that it won't be pleasant." Warpaath threw the overthruster at Buckaroo. "Stop it, if you can, Buckaroo Banzai. Prove to me which of us has the superior intellect. You have only minutes before the build up overpowers the dampeners."

Buckaroo quickly tore the overthruster from its new shell and opened it up, desperately trying to get to the inner workings. "This is the coward's way out, Warpaath," he said.

"Who will know, Banzai? You won't be around to tell the story. Besides, I'm sure you know me well enough by now to know that I have a way out. And even if I didn't, and I do die today, at least I'll gave the pleasure of taking you all with me! Even in death I will be victorious!"

Shego charged her hands and prepared to attack. "Don't!" Warpaath warned. "I can shut down the dampening buffers and detonate the overthruster at any time." He held a threatening finger against his control gauntlet.

"You're bluffing like you did with the hypermatter bomb," the green skinned woman said.

"Are you willing to take that risk?" Warpaath taunted. "Now, Great Blue, I believe you were going to surrender yourself to me."

Kim came up beside her husband. "Why would he do that?"

Warpaath glared at Kim. "If he does not, then I will detonate the overthruster and destroy this entire planet. But if he does, I will terminate the self destruct."

Kim gasped in surprise as Ron closed his eyes and powered down. "Ron, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Kim."

"No, Ron, you are _not_ giving up!"

"If I don't, everyone loses." Ron sighed. "We knew it might come to this someday, KP."

"You can't trust him!" Kim argued.

"He has no choice," Warpaath spat. "There are six billion hairless apes infesting this mud ball. What is one compared to billions? Is your mate worth more than the world itself, fiery one?"

Ron leaned in and kissed his wife. "I'm sorry, Kim. It has to be this way. Tell Hana I love her. And stop beating yourself up over the 'what if's.' At least we got three years together. I wouldn't trade that for the world. I love you, KP."

"No, Ron," Kim pleaded. She looked over at a frantic Buckaroo trying to defuse the bomb that had once been the oscillation overthruster. The look on his face told her that he had a plan, and to not give up. Kim steadied herself and embraced Ron. "Do you trust me?" she whispered into his ear.

"With my life," he replied.

"Then we do like we did with Erik."

"Kim?"

"You said you trusted me. Please, just do it."

Ron said nothing as he honored his wife's request. He did trust her, and he trusted Buckaroo Banzai. Ron released Kim and started walking slowly towards Warpaath; a thin jagged line of blue light connected him to his wife. "Come to me, Great Blue. Come to me and help me inaugurate my reign." Warpaath raised his arms and called out to the heavens. "I am Warpaath, son of Warcryme, and my time starts now!"

"I think not," came a calm reply. When Warpaath opened his eyes he saw Kim Stoppable, her eyes and hair were now as blue as the aura surrounding her. Once again, Ron had shared the Mystical Monkey Power with her.

Warpaath was taken aback. "What trickery is this?"

"This so isn't trickery," Kim said smugly. "This is just proof that love is a strength and not a weakness. Ron shared his power with me. You take one of us on, you take us both on!" Without warning she struck the Lorwardian, sending him flying back against the energy barrier. He hit hard and bounced off, falling into a heap on the ground. Kim stalked up to him and scowled at the alien. "That's for threatening my planet and trying to kidnap my husband." She looked over at Ron. "Honey, if you'd be so kind."

"With pleasure, KP." Ron, now powered up again, tore the control gauntlet from Warpaath's right hand as Kim leaned in to do the same to the cannon on his left gauntlet. Just for good measure, Shego came in with her hands aflame. She pulled Warpaath to his feet and nailed the Lorwardian in the face with a devastating right cross.

"That was for threatening my son, stringbean," Shego growled at the alien as he wiped the orange blood from his now split lip. Shego didn't take too kindly to threats made against her family, and the hypermatter bomb and an overloading overhruster were definitely threats.

Kim grabbed Warpaath by the throat and slammed him back up against the wall of yellow energy. Her strength was now greater than his.

"How is this possible?" Warpaath croaked. "How can you be another Great Blue?"

"Because of love, Warpaath. Ron's heart and soul are a part of mine. He can share his power with me because of that! Our love makes us stronger! Just as your own bitterness made you weak." She tightened her grip on Warpaath's throat, just as he had done to her. "How's it feel, Warpaath?" she demanded. "A flick of the wrist is all it'll take."

"Then do it, fiery one," he rasped. "End this, as I would have ended it for you."

"No," Kim snarled. "Because I'm better than you."

Warpaath tried to laugh. "Your mate isn't 'better.' He murdered the woman I loved and that common thug she tethered herself to. He's as much of a monster as you think I am. Is that not right, Great Blue?"

"I didn't murder anyone," Ron said calmly. "I understand that now. They were gonna kill KP, and probably most of the planet, too. I didn't want to do it, but I had no choice."

"It's over, Warpaath. You've lost." Kim threw the alien to the ground. "Get off our planet and never come back."

Warpaath grolwed at her, and reached for his belt. "I think not." He pressed a button on his belt buckle which made the barrier shoot beams of yellow energy at Kim and Ron, knocking them back. Then he reached into his harness and pulled out a small handheld cylindrical device. "I commend you on separating me from my gauntlets, but they were not my only means of detonation." With a smile he said, "Farewell, fiery one! Perhaps we will meet again on the Fields of the Eternal Battle!" Warpaath pressed the button at the top of the cylinder to trigger the detonation, and took off for his sky cycle.

"I wouldn't count on it, Warpaath!" Buckaroo Banzai stood up and held the blaster from Warpaath's gauntlet in front of him; it was again wired into the now glowing overthruster and pointed right at the Lorwardian.

Warpaath couldn't stop himself from laughing. "You prove your own cognitive inferiority, Banzai! That weapon will not discharge if aimed at me!"

"Who said I was going to shoot it at you?" Buckaroo pointed the blaster at Kim. "Kim! Jai alai!" A burst of red light shot out of the blaster and flew at Kim Stoppable.

The right glove of Kim's battle suit quickly morphed into a cesta basket and caught the burst in its containment field. Without missing a beat, Kim spun and hurled the glowing red orb directly at the retreating Warpaath. "Heads up!" she yelled.

Warpaath stood with his eyes wide and he howled in a surprised rage when the blast caught him in the chest. Within seconds the energy surrounded him, causing Warpaath to fade into the maelstrom of the same prison he was going to inflict on his own people. His lingering wail continued to echo long after he was gone.

"Live by the overthruster," Kim said.

"Get zapped into the 8th Dimension by the overthruster," her husband finished. "Boo and ya!" Ron powered them both down, and caught Kim as the fatigue hit her.

"That is so much worse than the Bebe thing was," she said. Kim didn't crash as hard as Ron did after using the MMP, but the exhaustion she experienced was bad enough.

"I know what you mean," Ron groaned. "I'm gonna be down for days after this."

"Nice move, Doc," Shego said approvingly. "What did you do?"

Buckaroo set the blaster down. "Rewired the self destruct. I disconnected the booster, shut down the power cell, and redirected the excess energy already built up through the gun. I did to Warpaath what he did to John Ya-ya. Now he gets to see firsthand what he was going to subject his own people to." Buckaroo wiped his brow. "It got hairy for a minute, though. I didn't know if I'd have enough time to pull it off." A satisfied smile crossed Buckaroo Banzai's lips. "So much for my 'cognitive inferiority.' I guess that means that mine is the superior intellect!"

"Okay, I guess that makes sense," Ron said. "But why did you tell Kim to go high and dry?"

"Not high and dry, Ron," Buckaroo clarified. "Jai alai. It's a game."

"I don't know all the rules, but I do know it involves catching and throwing balls with specialized handheld baskets." Kim morphed her glove back into the energy catcher configuration. "It's what Wade based this on."

"I thought Nerdlinger based it on that one game in the movie _Tron," _Shego said. Kim and Ron gave her blank stares. "Never mind," she grumbled. "God I feel old."

Buckaroo sighed and looked at the overthruster. "This thing's going into the incinerator as soon as we get back to the Space Center."

Shego charged up her hands. "Why wait? I'll melt it for you right now."

Buckaroo thought about it for a moment, but decided against it. "I appreciate the offer, Shego, but I don't know how your plasma will react with the power cell. I don't want anyone else getting a one way trip to the 8th Dimension."

As if on cue, the overthruster started to hum as it the power build up resumed. "What now?" Kim asked in an annoyed tone.

"I think you spoke too soon, Doc," Shego said as she backed away.

"I think you're right." Buckaroo tightened his grip on the still overloading machine and looked over at Shego, realizing there was no choice. "Ever shoot skeet?"

"No, but I'm a fast learner," Shego said. "Pull!"

Buckaroo tossed the overthruster into the air and Shego blasted it with her plasma. Instead of being blown apart by the blast, the vortex gathering around the overthruster redirected the energy back to its source.

"Move!" Shego yelled. Her burst, as well as the overthruster itself, landed just inches from where everyone was standing.

"So now what?" Ron asked. He was already starting to feel the crash from repeated use of the MMP, but fought to stay conscious.

"It'll blow," Buckaroo said simply. "It must not have discharged enough energy when we sent Warpaath on his one way trip to the 8th Dimension."

"And that's a bad thing," Ron surmised.

The overthruster started glowing even more brightly. Shego could feel a wind starting to blow from the vortex. "It won't be as bad as it could have been, right? I mean, that booster thing was turned off."

The wind was getting stronger. "That depends on how much power it's built up!" Buckaroo shouted over the rising gale. "That booster is alien technology! There's no way of knowing how it affected the overthruster's power cell!"

"We need to call Betty!" Kim yelled. "She can use the ship's energy barrier to contain the blast!" The overthruster's hum turned into a loud rumble as it started to vibrate.

"I don't think we have time for that, Kim!" Buckaroo said. "It's going critical! We have have only seconds before it blows!"

"Then what?!" Shego asked, not really wanting to know.

"I don't know!" Buckaroo replied. "But I don't think we're gonna like it!"

"Wade!" Kim yelled into her suit's Kimmunicator. "Can my suit's energy containment field be extended around another object?!"

"Not without a quick modification!" Wade quickly punched in a few keys and changed the configuration of the containment field generators. "You're good to go, Kim!"

_Let's hope it's enough._ Kim quickly ran towards the overthruster and activated her containment field. A bubble of blue light shot from cesta basket on her right hand and encased the glowing object.

"Way to go, KP!" Ron shouted.

The housing of the overthruster was starting to crack. The blue areas of Kim's battle suit lit up as more power was funneled to the straining containment field. Kim's left glove morphed into another basket and projected its own field to the bubble. Suddenly, sparks started shooting from Kim's suit and the blue of Kim's suit turned red. "The suit's overheating! I don't think I can hold this much longer!" Without a loud pop, the containment field collapsed. "Everyone find cover!"

"KP!!!!!" The Monkey Master ran to Kim and scooped up the overthruster. _One more time, Stoppable_, he thought as he again tapped into the Mystical Monkey Power, trying to focus his blue aura around the malfunctioning device. That aura intensified as Ron attempted to seal the overthruster off from Kim and the others. He could only hope that this mystical shield would be enough to protect the everyone from the impending conflagration. "Everyone get back!" he yelled, right before the overthruster exploded into a swirl of red and blue light that poured through the magic barrier like water through a burst dam.

_"RON!!!!!!!!"_ Kim screamed. She ran headlong into the kaleidoscope of light, right before a shockwave tore through Ron's collapsing shield and knocked everyone off their feet. Then, just as quickly as it started, the light collapsed back into a pinpoint and faded. The winds, too, died down, as if they were never there. All was eerily calm.

Shego sprang to her feet and sprinted to the last place she saw Team Possible. "Kim!"

"Sh-Sheila?" Kim Stoppable had been knocked on her back. She slowly sat up and rubbed her temples. "Okay, I so don't want to repeat that."

"What were you thinking!?" Shego demanded. "Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Like you'd be any different if Drew and Joey were in danger?" Kim shot back bitterly. Pulling herself to her feet. "Where's Ron?" Where Ron had standing, there was now only a black scorch mark. Around it were the smoldering chunks of the overhruster, and a pair of grey cargo pants. Three feet away from those pants was one Ron Stoppable being helped to his feet by Buckaroo Banzai.

"You all right, Ron?" the older man asked.

"I... I think so. Why's it so drafty all of a sudden?"

"You didn't wear your halfaversay belt, did you?" Kim asked with an amused grin.

Ron looked down at his lower body only to see a pair of red boxer shorts with white polka dots. "Aw, man! I knew I forgot something this morning! I thought I was done with the missing trouser moments."

"Better to lose your pants than your head, Ron," Buckaroo said. "That having been said, I'm glad you weren't going commando."

"Yeah, for all our sakes," Shego added.

Buckaroo went back to the overthruster wreckage. "I suppose I should start picking up the pieces."

"Wait, Doc, I thought you _wanted _this thing destroyed."

"I did," Buckaroo said. "But I don't want to leave what's left of it lying around where any super villain can find it."

Shego thought about that for a moment. "Okay, good point." She looked at the yellow energy barrier that was still fencing them in. "But it'll be a moot point if we're stuck here. Hey, Princess! Any chance you Super Mario jumping us over the wall so we can fly the coop?"

"Sorry, Sheila," Kim said, "but my suit's out of power." The blue areas of her suit were now black. "And Ron's not up to monkeying around." As if to emphasize his wife's point, Ron fell over as he tried to put his pants back on. "It looks like we're stuck here for a while."

"Great," the former villain muttered. "We're waiting for Will Du to save us."

----

Seventeen hours later, as the last overthruster fragment went into the Middleton Space Center's incinerator, a profound feeling of relief washed over Buckaroo Banzai. _It's finally gone, Dr. Hikita. No one will ever be able to use your invention for evil again. _Buckaroo's thoughts turned to his parents and his friend Rawhide. No one else would die because of the overthruster. Finally, it was over.

"Buckaroo? Are you all right?"

Buckaroo smiled and nodded. "I'm fine, Kim. Great, in fact. I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders."

"I can imagine."

"Where's Ron?"

"Still asleep," Kim said. "That little trick of his takes a lot out of him. He'll be out for at least another day. Maybe more." Kim herself had slept for over ten hours, but felt like she could sleep another twelve. "Are you getting ready to go?" she asked, noticing the duffle bag by Buckaroo's feet.

"Yeah, it's time to head back to New Jersey." Buckaroo reached into his pocket and pulled out the Kimmunicator he'd been using.

"Keep it," Kim said. "As far as we're concerned, you're part of Team Possible."

"In that case." Buckaroo put the device back in his pocket and produced several pins bearing the logo of the Banzai Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information. "As far as I'm concerned, you're a part of Team Banzai." He extended his hand to the redhead. "I hope to work with you again someday, Kim."

Kim happily embraced her mother's former teacher. "Same here, Buckaroo."

Buckaroo smiled as his old student Anne Possible walked in with her husband and twin boys. "It was good seeing you again, Anne."

"It was good seeing you too, Buckaroo," she said as she hugged him.

Buckaroo looked over at the Tweebs. "Boys, how would you feel about an internship at the Institute next summer?"

"Hickabicka boo!" Jim excitedly said.

"Hoosha!" Tim added. "Can we, Dad?!"

"We'll talk about it," James Possible said. Looking at Buckaroo he added, "I hope your insurance is paid up."

----

Dr. Betty Director was waiting for Buckaroo when he arrived at the Space Center's main gate. "Trying to avoid me?"

"Not at all," Buckaroo replied.

"Don't lie to a spy," she joked.

"Okay, maybe I was hoping to slip out unnoticed," Buckaroo said with a smile.

"Sorry it took so long to get you out of there," Dr. Director said. "We should have figured that Warpaath would've taken out the off switch. We had to resrot to trial and error to shut the blasted thing down." Dr. Director gave Buckaroo a grin. "Speaking of the ship, I have a business proposition for you."

"I'm listening."

"A joint Banzai Institute/Global Justice examination of the Lorwardian vessel. Nothing classified, nothing held back. Full disclosure of everything we learn about the Lorwardians and their technology, just in case they come back again."

Buckaroo regarded Dr. Director for a moment, and returned her grin. "Let's talk."

----

It is part of the universe, but at the same time cut off from it, accessible only through freak occurances and artificial portals. For centuries, it has been used as a prison by the Black Lectroids of Planet 10. Now, in addition to those Red Lectroid criminals, the 8th Dimension had a new resident.

John Ya-ya had turned the tables on his former master. For the Lorwardian, it was almost a return to the days of his youth; he was again overwhelmed by superior numbers. And since the Red Lectroids knew the terrain better than he did, the strategic advantage belonged to them alone. Warpaath's brilliant mind could come up with no possibilities for escape.

"Now, my new pet," John Ya-ya sneered, "I believe I was going to pay you back for over a decade of torture. I'm going to show you why sending me back here was a really bad idea."

Warpaath growled as the Red Lectroids gathered around him. This would not be the end of him. He would return somehow, and all those who wronged him would pay; the green one, the Great Blue and his fire haired consort, and most especially, the hated Buckaroo Banzai. They would all pay for imprisoning him! That is, they would pay as soon as he could escape from the mob of Red Lectroids now surrounding him.


End file.
